If you read this column regularly, then you know I like to get philosophical about this thing we call life.

Unless you know something other than what I know, I don’t remember asking to be born into this world. I don’t remember floating around in a state of nonexistence, having my number called or getting to choose who my parents would be.

And yet somehow, someway, I was called here to this life, and I soon would learn that physical life is fleeting, and to predict the day I would leave this life forever is as uncertain as predicting the weather, unless of course, you say it will rain again this week!

So here I was, a child born to parents who lost their love for each other and failed to point me in any direction where I might answer the question, “What am I here for?”

Age and experience have removed the anger I held for too long about my dysfunctional family and replaced it with an appreciation for everything I have accomplished and a joy for those whom I have loved.

I have also found that everyone who has stepped into the path of my life for just a few minutes or for more than 50 years has in some way helped me understand “me.”

But like me, at times, you must still wonder, “Why was I born? Were we put on this earth to survive this life by working jobs, raising families, buying things and passing through time each day until we can’t do it anymore and then we just die?”

You and I were given a mind to think and a heart to feel, but we don’t often allow ourselves to act upon our thoughts and emotions. In other words, we do nothing more than exist for another day that turns into another year until regret may be all we have left.

Life coach Geoff Reese did not have the answer as to why he was born into his life. He did not know if he came into this world with a purpose — a gift or talent he was supposed to use to accomplish something.

“What I did know was that I did not want to be just another dead body in the cemetery who had never pursued his dreams,” he said.

Reese believes we are all born with a unique seed inside of us that is meant to grow and impact the world.

“You either become what you were created to be, seeing the reality of your purpose and contribution to the world, or you ponder them as missed opportunities at life’s end.”

Greek philosopher Aristotle’s theory of teleology confirmed human purpose. He explained that the universe is a system in which everything is meant to affect everything else, and that includes acts of random chaos. Aristotle related human purpose to coincide with universal time and motion. Nothing is stagnant. We move along toward an end result and we have limited time to discover and utilize our purpose.

Nature innately understands its purpose. For us, we need to find a way to push aside our daily routines to contemplate what it is that we are uniquely called to do.

The late Viktor Franki, a Holocaust survivor, said that we find meaning in everything, even in suffering. We learn how to cope and move forward to understanding why we must appreciate the life we’ve been given. Franki further explained that we need to live with a constant tension that gives us an energy to strive and even to struggle for a worthwhile goal. To struggle to fulfill purpose makes the achievement that much more rewarding.

We can all find reasons to blame as to why we live a life of existence rather than one of purpose. I’m too old now. I can’t afford the cost. I don’t have the time. I have no idea what my purpose would be and I’m too busy working and making money to even care about it.

American actress Marla Gibbs said, “I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we’re all teachers — we must be willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks and we must not wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door.”

Gibbs makes me think that after all that you do to the limits of total exhaustion, you still have enough energy to hear the voice in your soul that holds the answer to the question, “What is your why?”

Sit back. Take a breath and listen.

Rich Strack can be reached at katehep11@gmail.com.