Why? What is life about?

Recently, I received news that someone I know who is homeless by choice had attempted suicide.  He once told me that he had been clean and sober for almost 8 years and during that time, he held a job in a recovery house;  unfortunately, all along he was not any happier as a sober, functioning human being than he had been as a homeless non-participating member of every day life.

Today I found out that another person that I know but have not seen in quite a while died.  She was young and had young children.  Apparently, she was very ill but refused to go to the hospital or call a doctor.  When paramedics arrived, they were shocked that her family and friends had not insisted that she seek medical attention prior to that day.  And now she was gone and her kids were without a mother at very young ages.

On the heels of all this news, the Holidays just having passed and a move that nearly killed me, I started thinking about a bigger picture.  What is it that we are doing here in this game called life?  Why are we here?
Is life just about getting a job, paying bills and maybe being able to afford a house or raise children?  If we are lucky enough to find our passion and give back to the world, does this make life meaningful enough? 

And what about the people out there who just cannot navigate this world as it is?  How do we treat the ones who prefer to be homeless and not part of the mainstream?  And what about a young woman who is a mother who chooses not to seek medical attention and dies because of this decision?  
What is more disturbing to me is that these are not unfamiliar scenarios in today's world. Why is this?  What has happened that these situations exist at all in a world with so many resources?

The other day I was struggling with my family, my life, my work and so much more that I had been in a great deal of fear...even bordering on panic attacks.  I needed to know what was going on - what was I doing here?  So I went into a really calm, meditative state and suddenly, I heard a voice that was so clear telling me that my life is about love.  I am here to learn how to love and to teach others how to love without ego, expectation or judgement.  Every heartache, every trial and tribulation is about learning to love the pure way -the way we are loved by whatever Creator we believe breathed life into this beautiful Universe.

And that was it...I knew every answer to every question I have every had.  It is that simple and yet, that hard...loving EVERYONE without making judgments or assessments - just loving them because they are part of this big world we call Earth or Gaia!    That is why we are here! That is what it is all about.  The key is love.