As people, we are constantly searching for meaning. For a deeper reason behind the colossal coincidence that is the human experience. Some look to science to explain, some look to a god, and some find comfort in nothing at all. So what are we really doing here? What is the purpose of us on this Earth? What is the meaning of life? 

All of the interviewees mentioned in this article were asked one question and one question only; in their opinion, what is the meaning of life? Ages ranged from young children to the elderly, in an attempt to get the widest view of humanity possible in our small town. 

When asked about the meaning of life, it was found that more than half the time out of those asked, people’s initial response was that they didn’t know. While this is an extremely loaded question, with so many different answers and contributing factors, it was astonishing to see the amount of those in their adulthood who seemed to reject the question, and to have only thought about it briefly, or never at all. As a society, we are running farther and farther away from things that matter. We hide from the harder questions in life, for fear of facing our own minds. We’ve found a way as a people to live our lives as passengers in the backseat of our own car. 

But this is not yet all of us. 

“To me, what’s the meaning of life? The meaning of life is basically in religious words procreation. But, life is just a journey, life is just like a tree has to drop a seed and then start a new one. Life is- I think we all create a lot of expectations that aren’t real. It’s a journey we’re put here to go through. Good or bad, happy or sad. It’s a search of your soul balance. To me it’s about being a good person, doing the right thing- even when no one’s looking. And sharing,” This answer was given by an elderly Ace Hardwear employee.

“I think simply it would be just to reach all your goals and… be happy. But people need to remember that they need to make themselves happy, it’s not other people that are supposed to make you happy… The meaning of life, I don’t know, I guess to grow old! It’s tough, ‘cuz I feel like I get stagnant in life and the mundane, and I have to remember that there’s something bigger out there,” This answer was given by a middle-aged woman in Meijer.

“The meaning of life is to spend it wisely,” This answer was given by a young boy in a parking lot.

“The meaning of life is to go out and try your best,” This answer was given by a ‘76 Plainwell graduate.

“I think the meaning of life is figuring out how to be the best version of yourself, well also helping others become the best version of themselves, and ultimately leaving the place better than you found it,” This answer was given by my father.

“Helping people,” This answer was given by a five-year-old.

All of these answers are somewhat different, yet they all have truth to them. Young or old, woman or man, no one knows exactly what we were put here to do. So while there will never be a definite answer to the meaning of life, one cannot help but see the beauty in the meaning people give life. 

As Viktor E. Frankl once said, “The meaning of life is to give life meaning,”