The Meaning of Life is…

I opened my eyes.

My long COVID hair was in my face entangled with my CPAP mask. My body started to shift out of the cozy spot under my warm comforter. My brain started putting together coherent words and I jumped out of bed. I scribbled words as they came together during those precious moments between sleep and consciousness. There was this incredible thought that was trying to push through my sleepy mind and onto paper. It was demanding to be shared. So I scribbled away. Relieved, I went back to doing my daily routines.

As I made the bed, the words started to form sentences.

While brushing my teeth, I excitedly anchored some of the thoughts and repeated them so I wouldn’t forget.

I went back to my paper, added some more words, and did some underlining to emphasize ideas I wanted to think about when I typed them out on my computer.

I changed out of PJs and into my COVID uniform of yoga pants with a plain T-shirt, then skipped downstairs to have breakfast.

At the dining table, I announced triumphantly to my husband: “I have something to share about the meaning of life. Do you want to hear it?”

He, of course, nodded.

With that, I leapt to my feet, ran up the stairs and brought down my paper with my handwriting all over it. I cleared my throat and read:

The answer to every question is… curiosity.

The answer to the meaning of life is curiosity (not assumption), wonder (not entrenchment), acceptance (not rejection), gratitude (not entitlement).

Curiosity leads to exploration, growth, learning, and discovery. Assumption leads to division, protection, aggression, and violence.

My husband nodded wisely and responded with: “You’ve just laid out the philosophy of Star Trek.”

When he saw my crestfallen face, he added “If you are thinking along the likes of the great Gene Roddenberry, you should be proud!”