Do We Matter?

I guess it all depends on who you ask, but I’d say that most people would answer with a resounding yes to the question “Do we matter?” It sounds simple and straightforward, after all why wouldn’t we matter. We exist on this earth, we live and breath, we have consciousness and freedom of thought; of course we matter. And I would wholeheartedly agree that we do matter….to other people. We are family members, friends, brothers, cousins, neighbors, sisters, mothers, fathers, etc. We matter to all those people we interact with, to all those people we impact in some way. And yet, there is an argument to be made that in the larger scheme of things, the big picture, we don’t matter. By and large, most of us will not be remembered in a hundred years and only a super small minority will be remembered or will have had an outsize impact on humanity to be remembered in a thousand years. So if we don’t matter in the larger scheme of things, and only matter to those around us, what is the point in this thing we call life. Why exist and push on, working and living every day on this earth? Why do any of it if in the end, none of it matters and only the relationships we have with others do matter?

The reason to keep going, especially if we buy into the fact that we don’t matter in the bigger picture, is to have a positive impact on those around us, to do good to others, to help and be of service, to exist beyond our own skin and constantly seek to improve the lives of those around us. I know I’m not the first person to say such a thing, in fact that sentiment has been uttered many times over the years by individuals with a lot more moral, ethical, and religious clout than I will ever have. And that sentiment gives me hope. I know that regardless of what I do, when I impact others in a positive way, I feel better about myself and feel as if I have a purpose. That isn’t to say that I don’t feel I have a purpose at other times, but it feels more concrete and real when I am benefitting others. In a sense, I feel that acknowledging that we don’t matter in the big picture makes it that much easier to do go to others in the here and now. If we come to understand that the bulk of what we do in this life will fade into oblivion and will not remembered by anyone, then it gives us the freedom, should we choose to accept it, to focus our energy on what really matters, being of service to others and filling our lives with good deeds that impact others positively.

Again, and I’ve stated this many times before, it is far and few between the person who does good all the time. In fact, many of those who lead lives doing good every day had their start elsewhere under different circumstances, maybe leading not so stellar lives. But something flipped in them, just as it can flip in us, and help us to realize how the only real way to make an impact and make ourselves matter even more to others is to do good, be helpful, be of service to others, and to always lend a helping hand. I fall short, but I strive to do better as I do with a lot of things. I know just thinking of the fact that we might not matter in the long run would depress some people, but I feel it is quite liberating. What do you feel? Do you matter? Who do you matter to?