Essay 13 - The Cultivation of Meaning

There are experiences in life that do not require any effort to enjoy. Ice cream comes to mind. You, generally, do not have to develop an appreciation for ice cream. Other experiences may take some effort to develop an appreciation. Good scotch, opera, classical music, and chess come to mind.

Meaning is the same way. Some experiences are almost automatically meaningful. For example, a couple having their first child probably feels that the event is very meaningful. Graduating from high school or college after a long struggle might feel very meaningful as well. However, there are meaningful activities that become increasingly more meaningful over time such as religious rituals or thriving in an organization that you believe in. Other experiences take time and intentional effort directed at a worthy goal. And once that goal is achieved the protracted effort becomes a profoundly meaningful, perhaps defining, experience. Climbing Mount Everest might be a good example.

This is to say that different people will have different levels of meaning in their lives. There is a certain amount of meaning you will experience from observing life passages such as getting married, your child’s first tooth, or your retirement party. There is another level of meaning that one can achieve by dedicating themselves to something they feel is important. And there is a more profound experience of meaning that can be achieved by actively cultivating meaning in your life.

How much meaning do you need? How much meaning is enough? That is not for me to say. But you know. If you feel that your life is meaningful enough then maybe it is. If you feel that your life lacks meaning, then maybe it does. But if it does, then there are things you can do to improve it. So, let us dig a little deeper on the cultivation of meaning.

The essay is 314 words long and the audio is a little over 2 1/2 minutes.