A Happier Mind


When people find out I’m an atheist, they sometimes ask me how I can find meaning in life. Indeed, when I began my journey away from Christianity, I often felt afraid of meaninglessness.

Why are we here? What happens when we die? What’s our purpose? What is love, beauty, good, evil? What about this “God shaped hole” that we all have?

For a while, I got into the habit of saying “I don’t know” to life’s big questions. During this time, some people would tell me that “I can’t keep living in limbo,” implying that uncertainty in life and death is unhealthy.

However, my experience has been on the contrary. I can say, with confidence, that I have found peace, wonder, and comfort within a life of accepting the unknown.

Photo by me.

Studying physics has made me realise just how special it is to be human. The human brain, amazing as it is, cannot fully comprehend reality and the universe. Yet, we are able to come close, little by little. For me, the most amazing thing about life is that we get to experience the universe through a very unique set of eyes.

I find purpose and meaning in sharing this human experience. We are social creatures with an incredible aptitude for empathy. I find joy in compassion, art, intimacy, community, enjoying food, and learning new things. The universe is immensely beautiful and we are part of it – made of the same materials as the stars, as the trees, as the dust.

I find comfort in the fact that we're all part of this amazing universe together, even if we will never know its mysteries. It's an amazing adventure. Whether or not God is here or there, I think it would be a shame for us not to fully appreciate the time that we have in this wonderful place.

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