The quest for Purpose : Discovering why we exist ?

When we are born into this world, we are like a drop of water, completely pure, with no color added. Slowly, as we meet people around us, our thoughts begin to change according to our surroundings. We don’t know what the definition of religion is, or what hate is. As the world teaches us, we keep learning.

We don’t know what our purpose in life is. We accept whatever we are given, without ever questioning the reason behind it. Why do we worship a god? Is achieving life's goals the sole purpose of our existence, or is it marrying the girl we like? Some people say that good deeds lead to heaven, and bad deeds to hell. So, is our purpose simply to secure a place in heaven?

I remember vividly the day I came across a story about a man who spent his entire life searching for the purpose of his existence, only to realize that he had never truly found it. The tale of his struggle, his yearning, and eventual resignation struck a chord deep within me. As I turned the last page, the same question began to echo in my own mind: What is the purpose of life? Is it success, happiness, or something more profound that often escapes our grasp? We chase goals, achieve milestones, and yet many of us still feel an emptiness inside, a nagging sense that we haven't quite figured out the "why" behind our existence. That story led me on my own quest to discover meaning- one that I believe every one of us faces at some point in our lives. In this journey, I will explore what purpose really means, why it's so elusive, and how we might uncover it, not through grand epiphanies, but in the quiet moments of everyday life.

Just as birds come and go by the seashore, in the same way, we come into this world and leave without any purpose. According to Osho, the only purpose of life is to attain happiness. Be happy all the time. There are many people who, despite being very rich, are not happy, while some people, even in poverty, are very happy.

For those who subscribe to the view that life has no preordained purpose, the challenge is to create their own meaning. This could involve setting goals, contributing to society, building relationships, or pursuing personal passions. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, famously wrote about finding purpose even in suffering, arguing that humans have the capacity to find meaning in any situation, no matter how difficult. His theory, logotherapy, suggests that meaning comes from the choices we make and the way we respond to life’s challenges.

The purpose of life is a deeply personal question with many potential answers. Whether you find meaning in personal happiness, spiritual growth, service to others, or simply living in alignment with your values, the journey to discovering your purpose can be enriching and transformative. Ultimately, what matters most is how you choose to live each day—mindfully, authentically, and with a sense of joy and fulfillment.