The Secret

It wasn't long ago that I figured it all out. By definition, it should have taken me much longer to decipher. Millions of men for millions of years have tried, and millions of men for millions of years have failed to provide an answer. The question? What is the meaning of life?

The meaning of life is a fundamental philosophical discussion of human exsistence. There are many questions that ultimately make up the question though. Why are we here? Why do we die? What is the purpose or significance? What is the value of life? All valid questions, but really all come back to the main question.

Now, you might be asking, "Why have you found the answer, and no one else has been able to?". Well that answer is simple. I didn't look for it. It just thrusted itself on me. The question never crossed my mind until it hit me directly in the face. It hit me pretty hard too, so that I wouldn't be able to forget it.

It was nice outside. Considering that the weather here is always miserable, I chalked it up to good luck. I took my dog out for a nice little walk around the neighborhood when I saw some children playing at a nearby park. The park wasn't big, it only really had a swing set, a see saw, and a sand pit. Not luxurious, but not run down either. I walked over so the little kids could pet my dog, when the mother starting screaming at me like I was a murderer.

"Get away from my kids!" the woman said. She was either really untrustworthy or really crazy. I couldn't put my finger on it. My dog was even frightened of her. The woman then spouted off some crazy things about rabies and allergies, and how she didn't want her kids exposed to strangers. I understood, but in a sense I wanted to knock some sense into her at the same time. Her kids would be exposed to strangers sooner or later in their lives, and definitely exposed to dogs. But I blew it off and kept on the walk.

I came across a local church that was just getting out of session and the marquee in front, it said, "God knows, so know God". I chuckled because I thought of Bo Jackson. Bo knows baseball. God knows it too apparently. The clergy was outside and one of the alter boys told me to get off the lawn with my dog. I found it kind of odd that God doesn't like dogs.

I am not a religious person, never have been. I don't disrepect others' beliefs though, but I do think they are all following something that is so intangible that to put absolute faith in it seems ridiculous. I believe everyone should in some way or another educate themselves on the subject of religion though and make their own decision. I would find it hard to believe someone that has no experience either way.

People say religion gives your body its moral compass. I think that is idiotic. I believe your parents instill in you that moral compass, and when it goes awry, the parents need to be the ones to correct it. If I counted on God to provide me my moral compass, I would still be sitting in jail for stealing that candy bar in the first grade.

Well then where do people go when they die? The ground. Or in my case burned to a crisp. I don't need a heaven or hell. Some people do. Talk with most people though, and they would say they are going to heaven. I would try to get them to explain how they believe that, and throw some of those commandments at them that they have violated over time. Will God forgive them? Maybe.

Anyway, I got back to my walk and saw a happy old couple on the their porch holding hands. You see,some people say the meaning of life is to make people happy. If you are happy, so is the world. But it's like one of those crazy games where you whisper into someone's ear, and the chain of people have to tell the same secret, and it always gets messed up in the end. If you make one person happy, they won't necessarily follow through and "pay it forward".That's where the chain ends, and the hope of everyone being happy slowly fades away.

After I waved at that old couple and the old man tried to yell at my dog for urinating on his tree, I decided to start towards home. I saw enough for the day, and just wanted to sit there and reflect. That's when it hit me.

The meaning of life. I saw kids playing, people praying, and people being happy. Everyone I saw had something in common. They all hated the fact that I was walking a cute, cuddly dog. They either didn't want him walking up to kids, walking in freshly cut grass, or urinating on their trees. They all seemed to be happy one moment and completely opposite the next. So I sat there on my couch with my dog and figured it all out.

Even the most innocent of kids are corrupted by their parents or influenced by someone in their lives. What else are the parents teaching them? Even the most religious of people doesn't respect all of God's creatures. What are they teaching in church? And even the happiest of people are disgruntled by the little things. No matter how happy you are, you can still get mad. Why is that?

I know why. I know the meaning of it all. I know what the parents and the churches are teaching. I know why people are unhappy. I know it all. I can become filthy rich and tell my answer to everyone. I could go on tour and yell it at audiences a million people deep. I won't though. I know the meaning of life and won't tell anyone. It's my knowledge. It's my secret.