Most people will begin asking eternal questions sometime during their lives. Such questions might be phrased as “What is the purpose of the world?” or “What is the reason for my life?” This examination can begin when children are quite young. It is very important for adults to be able to help children answer these questions. This presupposes that the grown-ups have already begun this process themselves.
Matthew Kelly, a famous Catholic writer, poses these questions through the eyes of a young boy named Max. The title of this insightful book is “Why am I Here? A Story of Becoming the Best Version of Yourself.”
Max begins his pleasant weekend fishing with his grandpa. As they sit in the boat and cast into the water, Max turns to Grandpa and asks: “Why am I here in this world?” The older man carefully takes his grandson through a series of questions about why various animals act as they do. He points out to Max that each animal, fish or bird acts naturally. They never try to be something they can’t be. For example, Grandpa says, “A bird doesn’t try to be a fish or a lion; it just enjoys being the best bird it can be!”
As Max muses over this answer, Grandpa explains the connection between the choices people make, and the characters they develop. This makes people become the best version of themselves.
When Max gets ready for school on Monday, he begins thinking about what Grandpa has said. What can he do to improve himself? When he goes into the kitchen, his mother is already at work getting his lunch ready. What should he ask his mother to put into the lunch box? He wants to eat candy and potato chips, but knows that something else is actually better for him.
Throughout the day at school, how does he act? Should he take things from other children, or generously help others? What choices does Max make? Does he choose selfishly or virtuously? And finally, how do these decisions help create his character? To find out the answer to these questions, go to the library and check out “Why am I Here?” by Matthew Kelly.
While the first great commandment is to love God with your entire heart, the second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. We can do this by making virtuous choices. The cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice help people achieve this. These four virtues are built upon grace, but they are also developed through decisions made in everyday life. So by acting positively, children develop wholesome attitudes. They become other-centered, which helps them to become the best version of themselves.
Our decisions will mold our characters for the good or ill. Since we find God in our neighbors, we can love Him through service of others. Because the ultimate goal of human existence is to be united with God for all eternity, we find true meaning and happiness in life through loving service.
The question of why we are here will be finally answered when Our Lord says: “Come, you whom My Father has blessed and take the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world… For when I was hungry you gave Me to eat...thirsty and you gave Me to drink” (Mt 25:35-38). What higher purpose can we strive for?
I hope you find this book valuable. Enjoy!
