The meaning of life

 The Storyworth question of the week is “What do you think is the meaning of life?” Imbedded in this question is the assumption that there is a "meaning of life.” I don’t share that assumption.

What’s interesting to me is the things that give my life meaning to me. Basically, I wake up each morning hoping to make a positive difference in the world. For my family and friends. For my pets. For my colleagues and students. For the people who read my writing, both in publications and on blogs. It’s hard to know how much of that goes on. For my scientific publications, I can look on Web of Science, SCOPUS or Google Scholar to see how many times my pubs have been cited. Reads and comments on my various blog and Facebook posts. Interactions with students, in person and online.

As I head into retirement, I don’t expect to teach or publish much in the years that remain to me. That’s one reason why I’ve stepped up blogging on my own site and elsewhere. I have my family and pets, but my circle of friends looks to shrink, especially after we move to the East Coast.

So, no, I don’t believe there’s one and only one meaning of life (pace Douglas Adams). Part of being an adult is figuring that answer out for yourself. My project continues.