By Joseph J. Mazzella

“What is this meaning of life?” this is a question that we all ask ourselves at one point or another of our existence here.

It is a question that I have asked myself many times over the years. The best answer that I ever came across was written by the great psychologist, Viktor Frankl who had survived the Nazi Concentration camps in World War II. Frankl wrote that, “the meaning of life is to give life meaning.”

When I was a young boy I gave my life meaning by simply playing, running, jumping, swimming, laughing, and riding my bike. When I went to school I gave my life meaning by learning, studying hard, getting good grades and trying to make my mom and dad proud. When I was a teenage boy I found meaning in playing sports, hanging out with my friends, and trying to impress girls. In college I found meaning by deciding what I wanted to study and what career I wanted to prepare for. When I was working as a teacher I found meaning in helping to open young minds to new ideas and old wisdom. When I married and had children I found meaning in protecting, providing for, and watching over those I loved. When I found out both of my sons were mentally handicapped I found meaning in loving them, caring for them, and learning so much from them about life, love, compassion, patience, faith and joy.

As I got older too I began to realize that meaning isn’t something that comes and goes. We can give meaning to every moment of our lives here. We can bring meaning to the thoughts we think. We can bring meaning to the things we do. We can bring meaning to the hearts we touch. All we have to do is love. It is love that gives life meaning. It is love that makes life worth living. Love is our heavenly fathers give to us. Love is our gift to each other. May all of your days be full of meaning then. May all of your days be full of love.