I couldn’t remember what happened last. All I could remember was falling asleep staring at my ceiling. I woke up standing at the podium in front of thousands. All quiet, but eyes set on me. Eagnerness set in their eyes as if they were waiting for me to give them all the answers. I looked down to my hands. Fragile and wrinkled. They reminded me of my grandfathers. I reached for the blank sheet of paper in front of me titled, “The Meaning of Life.” The crowd still sitting stoic as I looked around trying to find a single remnant of what to say. I thought of all the famous speeches in history. The good doctor King, Susan B Anthony, and even honest Abe. Nothing. I looked down at my hands again and thought of the teachings of my grandfather. It all started to come to me at once.

“I stand before you today as a man who has made many mistakes.” The crowd began to perk up in their seats as if the words I was preaching were the gospel. “It’s true that we search for the meaning of life and many never get the opportunity to find it. Even as I stand before you today I’m not sure that I know exactly what it is or if I might ever find it. We can get bogged down as we continue to look for meaning. The reasons we were put here on this Earth. You see many people search their whole lives looking and never stop to look around. To see how beautiful the journey can truly be.” I began reminiscing of the stories my grandfather would tell me as he sat in his lazy boy. How he was always upset he never stopped and took the time to appreciate where he was at. “What I have come to tell you is the truth. There is no constraint to the meaning of life. All we can do as people is appreciate that the journey is our own. We are all unique in that sense. I’ve learned that opening up the journey can bring many things. Hurtful and amazing all in one.” I look to the side and see a collection of people. All in resemblance to the people in my life. “You see I can look around and see a man I used to hate, who now goes by uncle when my kids call his name. I look to a women who the world tried to keep down, but she continued to fight and still seems to find the joy that life can bring. I guess what I am trying to say is this. Fall in love. Fell the pain that life can bring. Hear your heart beat for the ones you love. Take the opportunity. Most importantly, appreciate the journey more than the end result. Don’t look towards finding the actual meaning, but look to be true to yourself through the journey.”