by Paxus

Created on: November 03, 2008

One of the most overused, and often misunderstood, sayings is "there's a reason for everything." I personally think this is terrifying. Not only does it eliminate my free will, but it forces my life into meaninglessness. It is only my freely thought decisions, intentions, beliefs and actions that give my life substance. When my life comes to an end, it is only these things which will be a testament to others about who I was. It is only in the amount of impact my life makes on others that I have a chance at being remembered. I believe that every person is responsible for creating their own meaning to life, and therefore I have chosen that the meaning to my life will be spent in making the world a better place.

I believe that I have a responsibility not only for myself, but to my community, nation, and world. I feel that because I have been raised in a life where I have never had to struggle for food, shelter or an education, I need to try and deliver some of these opportunities to people who have never had them. The way I have decided to do this is by living a life of voluntarism, whether it is through donating money to a good cause, clothing or goods to a local shelter, or time to a project and event. Each type of civil stewardship is just one step closer to a better life for another person, and therefore one step closer to a better world.

One of the problems I see with modern society is that so many people tend to selfishly horde their money, goods and time. I used to be one of them. I spent my money on trickets and toys, high definition wide screen televisions, DVD players and recorders, computers and games. I ate more, exercised less, and drank more alcohol than I should have. I filled my life with 'stuff' that just gathered dust. I competed with my friends to see who could own the biggest vehicle and house. For 25 years I wasted my time.

Then I woke up. I was sick of being fat and lazy, and worthless to myself. I made the decision to take responsibility for my life and actions. I went back to school and decided to study philosophy and theology. I lost over 100 pounds by controlling what I ate and taking part in an active lifestyle. I volunteered time building houses in Mexico, working with non-profits in San Diego, and eventually working with shelters and groups in Las Vegas. Eventually, I married and my wife and I joined the United States Peace Corps. Now I am serving my country and others by working with a human rights organization in Romania.

My meaning of life is not for everybody. But I believe everybody has a responsibility to look inside themselves and see who they really are. If they do not like who they see, there is always time for change. I'm the one who has control over the meaning of life, and I have found that it comes with plenty of responsibilies and many rewards. My meaning is found in the service of others. As the Peace Corps slogan says, "Life is calling. How far will you go?"

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