What Do I Want From Life?

What is the purpose of life?

I could spend considerable time exploring that question and still remain uncertain. So I have given myself a question I can answer more personally: what do I want from the life available to me?

My answer is Peace, Happiness, Quality of Life and Longevity.

By peace, I mean being able to live with a reasonably settled mind. Difficulties will arise. I would like to address them without remaining in a continuous argument with circumstances, other people or myself.

Happiness includes pleasure, companionship, curiosity and the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile. I would like to recognise these experiences while they are available, rather than keep postponing happiness until everything falls into place.

Quality of life concerns how I actually experience my days. My health, relationships, surroundings, responsibilities and freedom to choose all contribute to it. An achievement matters to me partly through its effect on that everyday experience.

Longevity expresses my wish to remain alive and capable for as long as reasonably possible. There is much I still wish to learn, experience and undertake. I recognise that the length of my life is only partly within my influence.

These aspirations are connected. The way I pursue one can support or disturb the others. An ambition may bring satisfaction while consuming my peace. A pleasure may be enjoyable now but difficult to sustain.

I therefore need to consider them together.

They give me a personal direction without requiring me to settle the purpose of human existence.

For the life I know I am living, these are the things I wish to cultivate.

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