The Meaning behind Life

This is the second AP for our Humanities class, Journalism. This unit was all about photography and how photos can have more meaning behind them than just the image. We learned about how to take photos, key terms like aperture, shutter speed, and the Rule of Thirds, and how to analyze the images. For this AP, we used what we learned to interview someone of our choice, asking them their definition of the meaning of life. We then captured an image that we thought might best show the meaning behind our interview. Below, you will see who I interviewed, the photo I captured, and their definition. Enjoy! 

The Meaning behind Life

What is the meaning of life? It is a concept that is very hard to define and many people spend their whole life seeking an answer. However, nobody will ever be able to give a true definition because it is purely subjective and individual to each person and their experiences. So, on this quest to attempt to define the meaning of life, I asked myself what would be the best way to figure it out, and so I decided to interview my mom. I thought that someone who had gone through as many experiences as her, and someone who is a mother - who has given life - might know the meaning of life. 

My mom is the most important woman in my life. She has influenced me immensely throughout my years, and I have so much more to learn from her still. She was born on December 25, 1971, and she had me 32 years later. Ever since then, we have never been separated and we have had a very close relationship. 

I always admired my mother ever since I was young. Especially when my siblings were born, I thought it was the most spectacular thing - how one person could grow a baby and then give life. And through observing that gift of life, it then always made me wonder, what was the meaning? 

I sat down with my mom, already knowing I had questions. Three main questions came to mind at that moment, but I know that just 3 questions will never be the full amount that I have. 

We started by talking about how life is a special thing that many take for granted. She pointed out how there is so much to be thankful for and so much privilege in just simply being healthy. After talking for a couple of minutes, I decided to lead with my question of what the meaning of life is, and ask supporting questions after. 

She pondered for a moment, trying to formulate her answer. As she was thinking, she was looking down at the floor for a minute, so I knew she had her answer when she slowly looked up at me. Simply, she stated,  "Everybody has a purpose and that purpose is why you were put on this earth, so the meaning of life is to fulfill that purpose". I thought this was interesting because I do believe everyone has a purpose but just like the question of the meaning of life, I don't think anyone can truly define their purpose either. So, I liked the correlation between the question and the answer's theme. 

I know my mom has always been perceptive and has had good intuiion her whole life. She had talked to me before about having 'visions' or premonitions about her future and present times going on in her life, so when I inquired about any specific moments she might remember being the cause of her definition, her answer didn't surprise me. She explained that when she was 5 years old, she had a vision about her life and that her calling would be to help people. She then recalled that everything she did from then on, she was always happiest when she was making a difference in people's lives and helping them reach their full potential.  

We then went on to talk about living life without consequences and the difference between what it feels like to not live in fear. One of the biggest things she taught me was that, in her words, "when it is your time, it's your time". In that instance, she is talking about death but I also think it can apply to other situations of taking risks that aren't as dangerous. She doesn't mean to be reckless and do dangerous things, but she meant it to be more of a lesson to live freely and without holding back. This has helped me throughout my life, and especially more recently. I have not been as afraid as I used to be. 

This lead to my final question, which was, "What is the best thing about your life currently"? I tried not to smile as I looked at her, because I knew the answer. She gave me a small smile back as she spoke the words, "my children". She had wanted kids all her life, and she explained how someone had once told her that one of the best ways to make a difference in the world, was doing a good job at raising her kids. She has always tried to show us the best versions of ourselves, and allow us to grow into our own, as we slowly become adults. Heartfeltedly, she menitoned how now that we're starting to grow up, she loves every moment of seeing who we've turned into and how much of what that person said, was true. 

MEM. KT and Kids. 2021

The image I chose to take of my mom was her holding pictures of my siblings and I, when we were younger. I decided to have her holding pictures instead of taking the picture with us because I wouldn't be able to be in it, and I thought it said more to see her 'holding' us and showing us in a physical photograph. I used the Rule of Thirds by having her directly in the center of the image and by the photographs being almost symmetrically to the side, framing her. I took the photo with a medium shutter speed because she wasn't moving and a larger aperture to make her the focus and to blur the background.