Life Is Worth Living People Are Living

¶ … Life Is Worth Living

People are living longer than ever before. With the advances of medical science, longer and higher quality of lives are more possible than they were a few decades ago. With the ability to live longer than previously enjoyed how does one decide a life is worth living? I believe it has to do with the heart and the mind.

I have a friend who recently lost the ability to walk. Before this happened to my friend I had a much different idea about what makes life worthwhile. Watching my friend rise above the challenge and find many things to live for made me think about the true value and meaning of life. I realize now it is not what one cannot accomplish, but what one can accomplish that defines the value of a life.

I believe that a life is worth living if a person can still choose a goal and take the steps to follow and attain that goal. If a person is able to think and choose something that they want to get done, and then formulate steps to get it done, their life is worthwhile. Along with this I believe a life is worth living if one is able to contribute to society through their actions, thoughts or deeds.

The ability to choose goals is something that keeps life worthwhile. If a person wants to learn to paint, further their education or climb a mountain that person is still alive. Any time a person is able to think out the future and plan things that they want to accomplish in that future they have something to contribute to mankind. Most people are healthy and can choose goals from just about any venue or arena in life. There are people however, who have been limited in the goals they can choose from. People, who have had accidents, or illnesses that have changed their lives, and people who are born with disabilities are limited in the goals they can choose from. This limitation does not make their lives any less worth living than the non-affected person. Someone who can no longer walk can still write a book. A person who can no longer see can still learn to sing. And someone who can no longer hear can still learn to paint. There are so many things in life worth doing that the person who is limited in one area will find things to succeed at in others. I believe it is as simple as this. As long as a person can think thoughts and feel emotions the person has a life worth living.

A life that gives to mankind is also a life worth living. Whether it is reading a book to the blind, collecting food for the poor or tutoring an ESL student, the very act of giving back to the world makes a life worth living. There are so many things that can be done to better the world, and each step is a building block to the total success of mankind. Living a life that is filled with choices, commitment and contributions, is a life that is not only worth living, but it is a life that will help others understand why they too are alive. Living a life as if one is an example provides the framework for others to follow, and that contribution also makes life worth living.