I am painfully aware of the circle of life.  I lost both of my parents in the last few years.  I am watching my middle school kids come to life, with true excitement and curiosity for the lives that lie before them.   It does not seem that long ago that my kids’ roles were mine with my parents.  I was the excited kid, watching my parents live their adult lives as they raised my siblings and me.  It seems like it went so fast and I wonder if I cherished the gift of my life as I sped through it.

I also can’t keep myself from wondering about the meaning of my life.   It seemed so clear to me when I was young.   Life was all about my friends, our parties, conversations and love lives.  It was about education, getting good jobs, living in cool cities in neat spaces.  It was about finding a loving life partner, maybe having kids or not.  It was about looking good and feeling good.  I came of age when working out and healthy eating came on the scene and I jumped in with both feet.

I recently attended my high school reunion.   Many of the reunion conversations were about what senior community we had moved our parents to or when or how they had died.  The conversations bring me back to that big question, “what’s it all about?”

The answer I have come to at this point in my life journey is:  it is about our individual life lessons.  Yes, the friends, jobs and education are important.  The big deal is about our life lessons over the course of our lifetimes.

So how do you determine your life lessons?  My suggestion is to look at the challenges that continue to present themselves in different forms.   This can be in your work, love life or your family.  Can you learn how to handle your challenges with more grace and wisdom when they come back around?  Life is a classroom for each of us to learn different lessons. 

This thought of a life lesson keeps me in constant curiosity about myself and those I coach.  Think about what your life lessons might be and how well you might be doing learning your lessons.  The questions are easier than the answers.  Thank goodness we have a lifetime to work on the answers!