What is Life?

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

How would you define it? Do you believe you fully appreciate your true potential relative to the life you are currently living?
Life as we live it all too often is a result of philosophical, theological and scientific conclusions, theories, or opinions which have been based on incomplete facts or information. That in itself proves that the essence of life is change. But there’s another side of the story of this life that is very much defined by we, ourselves.
Unfortunately we have been taught to believe, that our primary responsibility in life is to adhere to society. Isn’t that what school is about? I’m sure you’re likely to be thinking, “No I chose to get a job because that’s what I wanted to do.” I agree with that but when you stop and think about this life you can understand that all the education, all the training, we are exposed to is that which is aligned with life, relevant to the increasing needs of society.
As you get older, your understanding and commitment to society will be deemed as ancient history, because the things you were taught will no longer be, as vital to society. They will have been passed on.
The point I really wish to make here is that the value of your life hinges strictly on what you relate it to and not merely society’s wants. To the extent that you can and do see life from a whole new perspective, your life expectancy can also change. We all have the ability and the right to choose the life we wish to experience and that has been proven to be true even for some people who have been blind, deaf and paralyzed.
So where will you go from here? How are you going to adapt to challenges you face? What is your life expectancy? The answers to those questions rest solely in your mind, nevertheless there are plenty of resources you can depend on to learn more about your own true potential. However you must also remain aware of the impact philosophical and society based teachings can have on your thoughts. Please also honor the fact that this is my perspective and you are entitled to your own.