What does it all mean?

What is the meaning of life? It would be fair to say that for millennia, human beings have pondered this question and attempted to answer it. It’s fair to say that everyone who has pondered this question would come up with a unique response. Christians though, would suggest that the answer may be found in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, where God made a beautiful world and created humankind to live in it and share a special relationship with Him.

Malcolm Bartsch in his book, A God Who Speaks and Acts, beautifully describes how one of the purposes of Lutheran schools is to encourage students to develop patience and an understanding that not everything may be known immediately. Moreover, it is only through our collected experiences that we develop wisdom and perhaps get closer to making sense of such a difficult question. We live in a world that is operating at an alarmingly fast pace, where the answer to just about anything is only a Google search away. It is therefore a challenge to remind ourselves that sometimes it is necessary to just ‘stop and smell the roses’. A further challenge that not only aligns with the need to exhibit patience, but also moves away from seeking the answer to the meaning of life, is to find meaning in life. Michael Steger, an internationally respected voice in this field, has determined that meaning in life is positively correlated to, amongst other things, positive emotions, life satisfaction and resilience. Furthermore, we might all be able to experience more meaning in life through engaging in various activities. Therefore, as the end of term nears and the holidays begin, I encourage our young people to consider taking up a new hobby or activity that broadens their minds, engages their senses and provides further meaning in their lives.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish all members of the Pacific community a safe and relaxing break over the holidays, in preparation for when we return in Term 2.