Talking to Nobody

“Why are we here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do we exist?”

“Why does anything exist but to enjoy the beauty of existing?”

“Beauty?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know. Life seems pretty scary at times.”

“Sure. Anything can be scary, but that is part of the experience.”

“And pain? Sorrow? Death? Guilt?”

“All part of living. Think about it. If there were no consequences for your actions, then why do anything at all? Those negative emotions are what makes humans, well, human. Without those emotions to enforce a sort of emotional law onto the body, then people would go running around doing anything and everything they please. They would become nothing more than animals, simply hungering for a new prey, mate, or better chance at survival.”

“Yeah that…doesn’t sound great.”

“But it’s not just negative emotions. There are positive ones too. Pleasure, happiness, joy, confidence, love, hope, serenity. Those are all positive emotions. Ones that are consequences of separate actions. The wide variety of emotions is one of the many things that make humans so complex and interesting.”

“Okay, sure. But that doesn’t answer my question. Why are we here? Why do we exist?”

“Why does anything ever exist? What does it even mean to exist? To exist is to think and breathe. To be present, physically or spiritually. Why do you think you exist?”

“…I…I don’t know.”

“And there is nothing wrong with that. Most humans tend to question their own place in the universe. What they mean in the grand scheme of things. Some fall down the spiral of believing they are the only ones that matter. Others believe they do not matter. No matter which direction they fall, this has its own set of consequences, leading to either a more fulfilling or depressing life.”

“You lost me.”

“Well, if someone were to believe life is meaningless, most humans become depressed. From there, some might decide to…leave early, if you understand what I mean.”

“Yeah.”

“That is a consequence. A consequence of having emotions, of existing in the first place.”

“Well that’s dumb. I didn’t ask to be born!”

“No one does. Not even the bugs or the plants or the animals ask to be born. And yet, many, even the ones who feel as I’ve described earlier, fear death. It is an unknown. The human mind cannot comprehend life without itself, therefore it believes death is impossible. But it isn’t. And the sooner you can understand just how finite your life, and the lives around you are, the easier it will be for you to understand how to live a more fulfilling and desirable life.”

“Okay. But, that brings us back to the beginning. Why are we here?”

“Do you believe there is a purpose to existing? Do you believe in fate? Or do you believe luck transcends all. That we are simply speeding at the whims of the car on a track. Do you truly believe you are in control?”

“You lost me again.”

“That is all right. It is human instinct to yearn for control. To be in control means no random variables. It makes things predictable. It makes things easier to adapt and change to. I argue it makes life boring.”

“Boring?”

“Sure. If you are able to predict every bad thing to happen to you, or someone else, then there is no art of surprise. No sense of being swept off your feet and made to adapt to the event transpiring. Life becomes dull.”

“I’d argue it’d be a lot easier to help keep people alive. Keep people safe.”

“Sure. But let me ask you something. If given the opportunity, would you accept immortality?”

“Immortality?”

“Yes. The chance to never die.”

“I…I don’t know.”

“I would recommend not doing so.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because death is the ultimate consequence. And without consequences to our actions-”

“We are nothing more than animals.”

“Exactly. I am so glad you are able to follow along.”

“Okay. But, everything in life just leads to us dying one day.”

“Of course. Nothing escapes death. You cannot run from it. You cannot hide from it. It is the ultimate consequence to living.”

“Living?”

“Yes. Choosing to live is understanding that your life is finite. And being able to understand your life is finite will-”

“Help you lead a more fulfilling life.”

“Precisely.”

“But that still doesn’t answer my question. Why are we here? What is the point of any of this?”

“What is the point of anything?”

“…what?”

“My apologies. Allow me to elaborate.”

“Okay…”

“If there is a point to something, that means there is some form of an end goal. Something to reach or achieve. But there is nothing like that in life. Only what you believe is worth achieving or reaching. You are your own judge. Success is measured by you, just as failure. And much like choosing to be born, choosing when you die is often out of your control. It gives you a timespan, a counter, a reason to search and push and live. And so you ask me, ‘What is the point to life’. Might I ask, is there? And even if there is or isn’t, does that change your opinion on living?”

“…yes?”

“Let me try to explain. If there was a point to life, everyone would be trying to reach it. Everyone would be working hard and diligently and no one would be thinking of trying to break free from a mold or be different. There would be no creativity, no color. Everyone would be working to achieve this ‘point’ to life. And so, the lack of an existence of an end goal is what makes it interesting. Because a ‘point’ that you speak of is whatever you want to make it. Whatever brings you joy, whatever makes you feel successful, whatever that is, that is your point in life. And that is for you to choose.”

“…I see.”

“Believe me, though. There is definitely an end to life. The ending is death. And often, we do not choose when that is. For again-”

“Yeah, yeah. Timetable mumbo jumbo. I get it.”

“You humans are quite extraordinary beings.”

“You keep referring to me as ‘human’. Are you saying you aren’t?”

“…no…I am not…”

“Then what are you? Why do you exist? What are you doing?”

“…oh, humans…so many questions…”

“I’m confused.”

“What I am is not important, not exactly. My reason to exist is of my own choosing. I was brought to this world, and it is up to me to decide what I do with my time. And as for what I have chosen to do, I have chosen to talk to you.”

“You chose to talk to me?”

“Yes. To you, and another lovely human I met, and another lost human I met, and all the other beautifully strange humans I’ve met. I enjoy conversing with all of you. You are all so different in your own ways. You all think so differently, yet so similarly. It is sad, yet humorous.”

“I don’t get it.”

“You all live on the same planet. You all breathe the same air, drink the same water, desire the same biological, emotional, and social needs. Yet, a majority of you insist you are all different. And because of those differences, based on appearance or location or otherwise, you complicate matters more than needed. You start wars and hatred, and for what? To cause more discourse amongst yourselves and others. Honestly, it is embarrassing and saddening to watch.”

“…yeah…”

“And yet, I cannot blame you. You are humans. And you need to learn for yourselves. As for me, I will be here. Here to speak for those who are willing to listen. To try and guide them. For that is what brings me joy and fulfillment.”

“And what about me?”

“What about you?”

“Well, what should I do? To find joy and fulfillment in my life?”

“That is for you to decide. To explore your fantasies and dreams. To explore your likes and dislikes. To understand what you enjoy and don’t enjoy. To explore what does and doesn’t matter. To explore who is and who isn’t worth keeping in your life. That is all for you to decide.”

“Sounds…like a lot.”

“I suppose it does sound daunting, yes. But it will be alright. For the journey is also part of the experience.”

“Sure…”

“I am serious. You will have failures and triumphs and from there, you will learn and grow. You may falter, or stumble, but it is for you to decide how those affect you, how they shape you, how they alter your view.”

“I…I think I understand. Thank you.”

“Of course. Hearing you say that brings me unimaginable joy, and I hope you are able to find what you are looking for in life. For you are the master of your life, and it is up to you to choose what to do with it.”