7 Ways To Inject Meaning Into Your Life—Part 6
7 Ways To Inject Meaning Into Your Life—Part 5
April 13, 2022
7 Ways To Inject Meaning Into Your Life—Part 7
April 19, 2022
Life is fluid. At times it is fickle and seems so disjointed one season from the next. Still, the worst thing we can do is live our lives as if there is no meaning connecting all of its disjointed parts. If you looked at existence in its entirety, all of creation has meaning, whether we see it or not.
I keep saying that if we removed meaning from our lives, then there will be no point in living whatsoever. We can have the best foods, best adventures, best luxuries in the world but that would still be empty as long as we lack meaning.
Meaning For The Human
In addition, I have also said that the meaning for the human is different from that of the rest of creation. A river doesn’t have to seek meaning. It must be Wole Soyinka who said:
A tiger doesn’t announce its tigritude, it just roars!
Wole Soyinka
But that cannot be said of the human. As much as meaning is wired in us in the form of a seed, we have to be conscious to seek it, find it and live it. Meaning for the human being is not on autopilot as it is in the animals of the field and birds of the air. It’s not a given in the humans as it is for the sun, moon and the skies.
Recap
That is why we have to be conscious of it. The following are some of the ways in which we can inject meaning into our lives
4. Restoration
When I was a youth in the early ’90s, Kenya was under the dictatorial rule of Daniel Arap Moi. Several activists lit up our fires for democracy by forming a political outfit called “Forum for the Restoration of Democracy”. One could say that they had seen that the country under Moi had lost its meaning and was being eroded daily. It is true that where there is no meaning, there is the disintegration of things and the perpetual emptiness in life.
“It is true that where there is no meaning, there is the disintegration of things and the perpetual emptiness in life.”
— Lawrence Namale
A river doesn’t need restoration unless of course it is interfered with by the human. It doesn’t self-destruct and thus botch its meaning in life. All of the creation seldom self-destructs and loses meaning even when left to itself. Only one species has power strong enough to stifle their progress and curtailn their meaning—the humans.
“Only one species has power strong enough to stifle their progress and curtail their meaning—the humans.”
— Lawrence Namale
Other Forms of Restoration
We see restoration being done to the human on different levels actively. When a child is born with distorted lips or limbs, we have instated mechanisms to make a restoration. When people are involved in accidents, we have created orthopaedic centres the world over to help their restoration.
However, there is one form of restoration that is seldom taken care of: the restoration of purpose and meaning in life. We have created very many solutions for the body and the mind when it comes to restoration, but we are very impoverished in resources for restoration of meaning in life.
“We have created very many solutions for the body and the mind when it comes to restoration, but we are very impoverished in resources for restoration of meaning in life.”
— Lawrence Namale
Making It Personal
Pray tell me, where do you go when you have lost your way in life in terms of meaning to seek restoration? For the most part, meaning is an individual thing and thus we have no institutions for the restoration of meaning.
However, each day we have the propensity of walking away and wandering from our meaning in life. We are either attracted to shiny objects by our greed and lust or we are compelled to veer off by hardships in life. So we find that we have no meaning because we are greedy or we have no meaning because we are seeking to eke out a living!
“Perhaps the greatest grace ever given to a human being is the grace to always start over afresh with a clean slate—at least spiritually. This is why restoration to meaning and purpose is always possible even for the person just left with one month to live.”
— Lawrence Namale
Two Situations
These two scenarios are true each waking day. One way or another and at different seasons in life, we veer off tangent, dump our purpose and meaning in life and go seek to eke out a living or live the objects of our lusts and greed. While there, we get a temporary reprieve but soon enough, we realize that we are empty, living meaningless lives.
Perhaps the greatest grace ever given to a human being is the grace to always start over afresh with a clean slate—at least spiritually. This is why restoration to meaning and purpose is always possible even for the person just left with one month to live. It is amazing how the closer we get to death the more we are keen to have this restoration to meaning happen to us.
“It is amazing how the closer we get to death the more we are keen to have this restoration to meaning happen to us.”
— Lawrence Namale
Simple Steps to Restoration
However, how about we have a mechanism inside of us that will always be an internal driver of restoration to meaning in life? From whatever vantage point we are observing life and realizing that we need restoration, I do believe that we can take a few simple steps that will take us back to where we are.
- Realize that there is emptiness in life without meaning. At least you know that by now, hence the feeling of the need for restoration.
- Realize that restoration to meaning is first theoretical, spiritual and ideological. You have to accept it in your heart and mind and institute a change in the invisible realm. Make a resolve about it.
- Accept the fact that practical restoration to meaning will always take time. Give yourself time to make adjustments
- Make a firm decision, even if there is a need for professional help to get back to your meaning in life
- Seek to create a balance between meaning, eking a living and seeking the finer things of life
- Know your weaknesses and the things that lead you astray. Is it your greed? Is it hardship in life? Is it a lack of knowledge and revelation? Nip all these things in the bud
- Be patient. The greatest cause of people going astray from their meaning in life is pure old impatience.
Remember that your restoration is a process and not an event. If you thought you would be restored to purpose and meaning in a day, you will easily find occasion to relapse.
