life

Life is the condition that distinguishes animals, plants, and other organisms from inorganic or inanimate matter, characterized by continuous metabolic activity and the capacity for functions such as growth, development, reproduction, adaptation to the environment, and response to stimulation.

The Proto-Germanic word libam means life or body. It refers to the presence of a heartbeat in an organism or the organism itself. The phrase ‘life on earth’ represents the word life in this context. The Old English word lif carries the same meaning as its Proto-Germanic predecessor. It also addresses life as ‘the duration of the state of living’. The word lifespan would be a synonym to this application of the word. The Middle English use of the word life extends its meaning to refer to the possession of life. It is used to describe people who are energetic and happy; people who possess a large quantity of life. The phrase ‘he is so full of life’ represents this application of the word. The meaning of the word life today has been extended to represent something in the technological world. Video games use the word life to represent the amount of chances a player has before losing the game. The phrase ‘I have two lives left to beat Bowser’ represents the word in this context. 

Life is started when a organism is born. The way with which a organism enters this world or is born differs on its species. Human’s enter the world and begin life through a live birth. After birth, humans develop and mature. Humans mature substantially during puberty. Puberty occurs from twelve to nineteen years of age. Humans age, our general lifespan is seventy five years. The end of life is represented by death. An organism dies when its heart stops beating. Humans can die from disease, murder or organ shut down as a result of old age. 

Philosophically speaking, life is sometimes referred to as a journey. Humans are developed enough emotionally and mentally to question why they are here on Earth. They want to know what the purpose of their life is. The answer to that question is a hard one to answer.  “Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey”. It is believed that the purpose of life is the journey itself. Life is the lessons we learn, the people we meet and the memories we collect. They are what define our purpose for being born. The religious believe that the purpose of life is to make it to heaven or nirvana. 

Dreams are what we aspire to achieve with our life. Dreams are what give our lives purpose, they are what motivate us to live. They are the mechanism through which we venture through our journey.  “It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting” 

Citations:

"Life, n.1". OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press. http://www.oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=life&_searchBtn=Search (accessed November 21, 2012)

"Life". Online Etymology Dictionary. 2012. Douglas Harper. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=life&searchmode=none (accessed November 21, 2012)

Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist. (New York: Harper Collins, 1998), 125.

Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist. (New York: Harper Collins, 1998), 11.