Finding the Resonance of Meaning and Joy

In this life, we are all searching for the most authentic way to exist. Often, we find ourselves pushed by external tides: the expectations of parents in our youth, the pressures of survival in adulthood, and the various shackles imposed by societal opinions along the way. As a song once poignantly asked: "The pressure of life, or the dignity of being—which matters more?"

In truth, both are vital. Without the ability to navigate life’s demands, the dignity of being becomes a mere mirage—a moon reflected in water, a flower in a mirror. Yet, if we lose our dignity, no amount of external success can lead to true happiness. Thus, to exist fully, one must find a balance between grounding oneself in the environment and discovering the true self.

Meaning and Joy

What, then, is a "happy existence"? Everyone may define it differently. To me, happiness is a state of mind that requires neither immense wealth nor grand fame. While external resources may aid our pursuit of inner joy, they are never a sufficient condition for it. One need only look at the tragic Mr. Gatsby in The Great Gatsby to understand this.

A truly happy life is found when one discovers endeavors where Meaning and Joy coexist. "Meaning," to some extent, is what we often call a "sense of mission"—the realization of your purpose and the primal drive that propels you forward. Perhaps it is saving lives, averting danger, educating the next generation, creating art, researching a profound subject, spreading a transformative idea, or building a bridge between worlds. As long as an endeavor makes you feel whole and allows your soul to bathe in a beautiful sense of presence, it becomes your mission—your reason for being.

However, for a mission to be truly enduring, it must also possess "Joy." If you are fulfilling a mission solely out of obligation or to meet others' expectations, it will fail to bring that deep-seated, lasting, and blissful sense of presence.

But is joy alone enough? Joy without long-term meaning is fleeting and fragile, much like fireworks in the night sky—after a moment of brilliance, they leave only darkness and emptiness. It is like turning to alcohol to forget one’s troubles; once the intoxication fades, the descent only feels deeper.

Therefore, we spend our entire lives searching for those things that provide both profound meaning and genuine joy. Only when we find them do we truly possess a happy sense of existence.

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