Something meaningful to say?

I often use the word "meaningful" when I think about a life well-lived. I've never thought much about the word itself much. What does "meaningful" actually mean? The dictionary definition is "–adjective: full of meaning, significance, purpose, or value; purposeful; significant."

So, what is a life that is "significant" or "purposeful" or "of value?" Is it helping others, having children, being religious, being rich? I guess the definition is different for everyone. Which has me thinking: what does a meaningful life mean to me?

I'm not sure I really have the answer to that question. I think it's my age that has me thinking about such things. In your 20s, one is free to be as flippant, stupid and wasteful as one wants. After all, time is on your side. It's not as if I'm suddenly old, but I am older. If I'm going to make my mark, don't I have to get started eventually? Why not now?

I think for me, a good life is one in which a person is patient, kind and loving to their friends and family. I didn't grow up in a household where those were the virtues. It makes it tough for me to adopt those virtues for myself, but I'm trying.

Another thing that's important to me is a life with adventure. I have a strong case of wanderlust, so traveling and experiencing are part of my DNA. I often look at people who give it all up to travel for a year, or teach abroad in some extremely far-flung, foreign nation, or seek out a place overseas to live, with a sense of envy and awe. Why not ME? Where was my sense of adventure back in my 20s, before I had a mortgage and student loans? Did I waste my opportunity?

In the end, do we all feel like we could have lived our lives better? Is that part of the human condition? I'm afraid I have lots of questions today, and very few answers, at least for myself.