A friend whose spouse had recently passed away asked me this profound question: “Why am I here?” Even though I had been a student of Christian Science for many years, this caused me to step back and search for a response.

Some people believe we are here to live life to the fullest; others set their sights on retirement, when they hope to have the freedom to pursue personal interests. Certainly there are people who truly care about humanity and are dedicated to making the world a better place for everyone. There are as many different concepts of the purpose of life as there are people in the world. We might ask instead where people turn for wisdom about life and its meaning. 

Many turn to books, and—although the number is hard to track because it is sold in so many translations and languages—the Bible is believed to be the most purchased title, estimated to have sold more than five billion copies to date. Of non-religious titles, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes holds the top position, estimated to have sold five hundred million copies. Many consider one major theme of this novel to be man’s search for meaning—as the main character sees himself as a noble knight-errant on a mission to revive chivalry and perform acts of heroism.