4-12 “You determine what something means”
4-12 “You determine what something means”
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> You determine what something means! You give it its meaning. Until you decide what something means, it has no meaning at all. Remember that. Nothing means anything at all.
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> (Friendship with God, Chapter 9, abridged)
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> At the end of your life you will know that nothing you have done will matter—only who you have been while you have done it.
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> Have you been happy? Have you been kind? Have you been gracious? Have you been caring, compassionate, and considerate of others? Have you been generous, and sharing, and most of all have you been loving?
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> (Communion with God)
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In *Conversations with God*, we are told that the meaning of every human action—and its results—exists only in the meaning we assign to it.
From the perspective of God and the soul, what matters is not the outer event itself, but which aspect of divinity we have experienced through it. The events of the physical world are tools for growth, not the ultimate purpose. The purpose of life is to experience our own divinity and thereby evolve.
This insight resonates with the words of Mother Teresa in *In the Heart of the World* (1993): “It is not how much we do that matters, but how much love we put into what we do.” The essence lies not in the quantity of action, but in the quality of being.
Since we are the ones who assign meaning to our lives, it is wise to give events empowering interpretations. *Conversations with God* even suggests, “Make up the meaning of life.” Rather than concluding, “My life was a failure,” we may instead choose to see the good that was present—and grow from it.
At the same time, we must not cling too tightly to any interpretation. Whether we label something success or failure, attachment to either can halt the soul’s growth.
In the end, what something means is always ours to decide.
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