The Philosophy of Life i3

Written by Naulia Bennett

This week, I had the privilege of interviewing Lillian Pricer, an 18 year old from Michigan, United States, and her responses were sensibly charming. I hope her story can give people a better appreciation for the things we do have, instead of the things we don’t and to never resort to giving up even when things get tough.

NB: “In your own words, what’s the meaning of life?”

LP: “I think the reason behind living is to do just that, live. Yes, that’s completely cliche of me to say and basically just the question in the form of an answer, but I mean it. You need to live and you need to feel it all, soak up as much from this life as you can. Never let your hunger for learning die out, no one has infinite wisdom, there will always be more to learn and love about life. Experience all that you can so you don’t look back on it all and regret not doing the things you could have. Love people, show kindness, and care for others. Personally, I believe that it’s everyone’s duty to help one another. We need more kind people. There are a lot of good ones out there who do really care about helping but there aren’t enough. We should do whatever we can to help those who need it. Try to make the world a little better for those after us and those around us. I’m not sure that anyone is put on the planet to do just one thing, to achieve one specific deed. I think you just have to follow your passions and care about the things that matter, doing the best that you can for the good of yourself and others, and you’ll have felt that you lived a life worth living.”

NB: “What’s your aspiration in life? What do you hope to achieve from it futuristically? Is there someone in your life you particularly look up to in terms of this aspiration?”

LP: “My goal in life is to be a good person. Really, nothing else I could ever do would mean anything if I didn’t at least try to help people whenever or however I can. Even if it’s in very small ways. With my writing, I desperately hope that I can bring forward stories that make people feel, that make them see that life isn’t just bad. There’s a lot of bad but there is also untold good and if I can create stories or characters that make people think and question or understand situations and people better, bringing them to care about more than all that they are taught or confined to in their worlds, then I’ll feel that I have succeeded. Even it being one person that is moved by anything I could ever put out there. I know it’s practically everyone’s dream to “make a difference,” but I think that’s a very good thing to want to do. Even if it’s only in some small way.

I can’t really name one person that I look to for inspiration but I could say that both of my grandfathers have been influential in my desire to help people. They’d always do their best to be kind and help the people that needed it, so I admire that a lot.”

NB: “If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?”

LP: “I’d probably tell myself to keep my chin up. Keep going, because it would be worth it. I really needed someone to tell me that, I needed to hear that things would get better and I wouldn’t be absolutely miserable forever. There were a lot of times where I wanted nothing to do with being alive and I hated that I was, I wanted everything to stop. I wanted to stop being so sad and feeling lousy about my life and the way I was being brought up, especially since each situation was out of my control. I’m still very sad most of the time, but I like living. I never thought I would. It’s not that I’ve got it made and I can foresee with absolute certainty that I will go on to do great things, though I hope I do. I’m just accepting things the way they are and understanding of the fact that to get anywhere I have to make it happen. Nobody will swoop in and change my life for the better. I have to do that, and god am I ready to. I’ll work the rest of my life if it means getting to do the things I love and hopefully being able to help people along the way.

In short, I’d tell myself that there are things worth living for. People are worth living for.”