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Every person, at some point in his or her life, will question his or her existence. Fortunately, the definition of each person's existence is only up to that person. No other person, no other institution, and no other factor can influence a person's conception of why he or she exists.

Because each definition of existence varies, it is not fair to say that there is only one reason why we exist. All of our reasons may be valid, but perhaps some reasons will apply more so to a certain type of person than another. However, all of our existences are marked by choice. Each person can define his existence, and that is part of the excitement of life.

Some people have said that they existed to bring good to the world. They want to leave the world a better place, even if slightly, than when they lived in it. This is a valid definition of an individual's existence if he or she wants it to be so. However, some people will disagree and say that they exist because they were chosen to act out a certain purpose. These people have their own sense of existence, and we should leave that question at that.

However, some people struggle with their attempt to find out why they exist. They will look all over the world, ask every person they know, and yet not find the answer. What they are not doing, however, is looking in themselves. Only they can answer that question, for each person's answer will be different. And, chances are, another person's answer will only reflect that person's personal definition of why he or she exists. That is, it is not wise to trust another person's answer to answer a very subjective question.

When we focus on this question of why we exist, we often miss a few important things that we should be examining instead. We ask, "Why do we exist?" and at the same time forget the fact that some people are no longer existing because of other people. If we can all put our differences aside and agree to a basis of why we exist, we will realize that each person's existence is founded upon a universal factor: we all exist not for a particular reason but for a broad, general reason that has put us on a planet together. In that way, we cannot let each person's existence interfere with our own; we must, essentially, learn to live together.

Therefore, we should not be asking, "Why do we exist?" Instead, we should be asking, "How do we exist?" and "How can we make our existences work together?" These are the questions that should be our top priorities, if we are ever able to make our existences matter.

Learn more about this author, Joan Inong.
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