The Search for the Meaning of ExistenceDaffodil bulbs instead of ballsGlance from the sockets of the eyes!from Whispers of ImmortalityWe live and then we die. It's scary, the death part and the life part is pretty amazing. There is a great dichotomy surrounding our existence. One minute we're here, another minute we're gone. What is existence? What is the purpose of existence? The great metaphysical question has my interest. We try to understand it all but it eludes us. This magnificent universe did not answer our questions. Some people believe that our existence is a divine destiny, a creation of God or some intentional energy. Others say that the greatest meaning of life is to share love. These people believe that life has meaning! He really has it! I grew up thinking that both of these meanings of life were true. There was a universal energy of good, always capable of overcoming evil, and love was the greatest value of all. I believed that my life would have meaning if I contributed to the good and loving energy in the world. Will my life have more meaning if I am a good, loving person rather than a lonely, selfless person? Will my life be more valuable to the universe? Everyone would like to have meaning in their lives, even those of us who are becoming cynical about meaning as an absolute. We would all be more comfortable if we knew a transcendent value for our existence that surpasses life itself, even to death. However, we do not know this transcendence. 21st century society rests on shaky foundations. We have thrown religious proclamations out the window and embraced science as the highest authority. The problem is that science provides no metaphysical answers, so we are out there in space floating aimlessly. Currently, in the last ten years or so, after seeing the substantial depth of scientific observations supporting Darwinian evolution, I am beginning to see another possible "meaning of meaning", and therefore, a new meaning of life. Beware of Darwin's dangerous idea! I now see meaning as an emergent process of evolved human consciousness functioning as an environmental analyst. I view both meaning and consciousness as consequences of physical processes in the brain and nervous system. Sounds pretty sad and bleak, huh? Or exciting, depending on who you are, where you are and what time it is.