This is a zillion dollar question which philosophers and savants have been asking, ever since the homosapiens learnt how to stand erect! Even in unrecorded, pre-historic times, the primitive man who discovered fire, must have asked this question while gazing into the canopy of millions of stars at night.

So, what is the purpose of life? Epicureans say, “Eating, drinking and making merry.” Others say, “Doing your duty.” Materialistic people say, “To make more money.” So then, different people have different purposes in life.

I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy, the vedic concept of ‘Sat-Chit-Anand’ – to make others happy and to live joyfully, with gratitude. What is the greatest joy in life? GIVING! And why is “giving” the greatest joy? Because unless you give, you’ll always struggle to survive. Life will be one problem after another. Only giving will give you joy, peace and happiness.

And what can one truly give? One can only give what one has in abundance, in plenty!! So, I give my love, my joy, my humour, my blessings, my positivity and my excitement and zest for life. Then, I give gratitude to the Universe that I’m capable of giving away such precious, intangible things because these are everlasting and all the riches in the world couldn’t compare to the most precious gift in all creation – the LOVE inside you.

But, not all people can give love and unfortunately, not all people know how to receive love. This is due to their mental conditioning. It has nothing to do with you so you shouldn’t stop giving love to them. When you give love, the Universe returns it manifold!

What about people who hurt you? Well, they need your love the most! You don’t need to interact with them and get hurt again, but you can visualize them and send them your love and blessings and wish the very best for them. This way, you are no longer emotionally handcuffed to them and you break the negative karmic-link with them.

What if those who hurt come seeking your forgiveness? Well, be gracious. Forgive and forget and move on with your life. You may choose to interact or not, or only interact in small dozes with that person but always wish them well. What you wish for others, you wish for yourself. If you wish others well, the Universe will overwhelm you with good circumstances and good people.

We are all imperfect souls in transition. However, you’re an eternal being. You have an entire lifetime to experience all sorts of circumstances and people. Some life experiences will make you happy, others make you sad. There’s two ways of looking at life, people, circumstances and adventures. You can be a pessimist and always see the glass half-empty, by closing yourself from giving and receiving love; Or you can be an optimist and see the glass half-full by giving and receiving love. You decide.

It’s your life and the choice, dear readers, entirely yours. Let me give you some unsolicited advice: Try to see the glass half-full (no matter what your outward circumstances) and life will become worth living! Wrap your arms around ‘life’ and say THANK YOU! Be excited for the adventures ahead. Always keep your chin up. If, like me, you have a slight double-chin, what the hell? Put both your chins up!!

Absolutely everything you experience in your life is the result of what YOU have given into the Universe by thoughts, words and deeds… and hence, the importance of the Zoroastrian Triumvirate – Manashni, Gavashni and Kunashni. Life does not ‘happen’ to you, Life ‘follows’ you. Right here, right now, what you think, what you feel, all will come back to you through various people and circumstances.

Life presents us with various options – life’s a catalogue and you choose (by your thoughts, words and deeds) what exactly you want in the future from that catalogue. But – are you choosing the right things or are too busy judging other people, labelling them and choosing the negative things? If you are not happy right now, that means you’ve embraced negative things – like dislike for some person, jealously, envy and wishing bad things for persons who have hurt you.

STOP! The purpose of life is none of these negative things. The purpose of life is JOY so choose only positive things. Surround yourself with positive, happy people. Joke, laugh and make others laugh because laughter is a very powerful energy and humour is still the best medicine.

Learn to laugh through your tears. You’re not the only one in the world with health issues, setbacks and tragedies. There are people in worse situations who would love to be in your circumstances, so be grateful at all times, because bad times don’t last forever. They are just pin-pricks while you embroider the tapestry of your life!

You came into this world with your love, and it is the only thing you take with you; So while you are on planet Earth, every time you choose the positive, every time you choose to feel good, every time you make others laugh, you are giving away your love and you light up the world!

Giving and receiving love are so fundamental to living because love is the highest vibration in the Universe. Love is the very principle of existence. Life minus love equals to one big zero. When you are giving love, you are fulfilling the entire purpose of your life and the more you give, the more you receive because that’s the law of the Universe!! So, give love, go ahead, light up somebody’s life, even if it’s for a brief moment. Bless everyone. Wish well for everyone and everything you can wish for, everything you can dream of, everything you love, will follow you wherever you go!