SHARI DE LINA ENRIQUEZ

How would you define life? How would you define you? Are you living your life or are you just
surviving? All of us has an intuitive understanding of ourselves and of our lives. However, it is hard to
actually know what does it truly mean. We all are seekers in finding the essence of our existence. And
according to Socrates a life that is unexamined is a life not worth living. Because how could you possibly
understand the things around you when you haven’t fully understood or recognize you. Who you are,
what you are doing, and why you are? There are over 300 billion stars in the milky way and each one of
them has their own purpose. And that is how humans should be. Knowing and recognizing their selves
to find their own purpose in life.

Philosophers have provided different coherent, credible and sensible answers about the self. It
is also said that there are two models of human nature, described as an Artichoke and an Avocado. A
person can be an artichoke because he/she can change base on his/her experience in life, or they just
simply want to, because of the constant changes in the society. For them to feel comfortable and
belong. A person can also be an avocado because there will always be this inner unchangeable core that
lies within them that can never be changed no matter what the circumstances are. All of this theories
about the self could possibly be true in some degree because we all have different opinions and
perspective. But what captivated and made me inquisitive is the philosophical view of Socrates about
the self. That unexamined life is not worth living. Because humans for him are supposed to live their life
guided by reasons, weather we realize it or not we are required to make decisions in our daily life.
Humans might be irrational thinkers at times but we still have this capacity to reason, the ability to
carefully consider our actions and that is what makes us special.

Judaic and Hebrew tradition believes that we are a special creation of God and that is what
makes us unique and differ from other species, to point this out we are created into something that is
valuable. So, instead of living a life that is unexamined where life is in black and white and happiness is
in jeopardy. Why not live a life that is examined, where you can have a happy and flourishing life. It is
very much impossible for someone to live a life off purpose, because when you reach to the point where
you don’t understand what you are doing and that brings you to a certain level of discomfort. Purpose is
one of the reasons that helps you to pull yourself out in that certain situation. A person that is attached
to his/her purpose or mission in life, can easily get through the obstacles that hinders them from
reaching their goals.

Finding your purpose is a starting point of finding your life. Because that’s what living is all
about. It is what drives you from moving forward no matter how struggling life could be. With this you
could direct your focus to something that could make your life meaningful. Just like some stars in our
infinite galaxy, they shine brighter because they have found the true meaning of living.