January 2026 IndieWeb Carnival Roundup

In January, I asked people to share their thoughts on the meaning of life as the 2026-01 IndieWeb Carnival theme. The submissions made me think, cry, and feel connected with humans I have never met. Thank you to everyone who shared!

My submission: Fixer. I turned 42 on January 15. The number 42 is presented as “the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I still do not know the meaning of my life, but I do know the type of work that gives me a sense of purpose and a few songs good songs to listen to when I need that “big world, small me” feeling.

Submissions

Presented in the order received with my favorite lines that I hope entice you to read the full post

On The Meaning Of Life: Dropped Down Halfway by Bix Frankonis:

No, I do not find any reason to think that there is any meaning to life, although people and their lives do matter.

There’s no point in finding “purpose” if you don’t have the energy to enact it, because that would just be even worse.

Existential crises happen on the regular, most commonly like clockwork on my birthday, and that’s just the deal.

Bear Necessities by Andrei:

Because, at the end of the day, living begins at the end of your comfort zone. And once you realize this and understand that living is actually just being happy with the life you’re having, or understanding the things you need to change are do-able and actually can do them, then you can improve your life and feel you’re living.

The meaning of life is lying on the beach by Sara:

The more I read about the stories of people, the more I am not sure that life purpose is needed for the good or influential life. Marie Currie was doing experiments on the soil because of curiosity. Maria Montessori simply didn’t want to see children in such a state. Hildegard was Hildegard. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was doing diligent work that changed our understanding of the start. As did a lot of other scientists, whose data was later used.

Nature by James:

The topic of this month’s IndieWeb Carnival is the meaning of life. I think this is one of these questions that is answered over a lifetime; an answer that builds with the years.

There are many things that give my life meaning – that give me energy and make me who I am. Family, friendship, kindness, hope, life itself, realising that I’m part of a story that extends so far into the past and will continue extending in the future, the feeling of awe when I see something that someone made, the feeling of awe from Nature, the joy of noticing details, learning, music, art.

Meaning of Life by Kristof Zerbe:

Some folks answer this question with something like “Being a good human being.” While this may seem timeless at first, even if you can’t be sure that you won’t turn into a dickhead in a few years, it generally comes with the problem of perspective. To whom am I a good person, who sees me that way, and are there people who judge my behavior completely different? An angel to one person, a devil to another. At first, you can only go by your own perspective, which is strongly influenced by the culture you live in.

[. . .]

But just as I do not need answers from a God, I also do not need an answer to the question of the meaning of life.

The Meaning of Life by dealingwith:

seeking : stories :: beauty : meaning

In Search of Meaning by Ruben:

Defining the meaning of life solely by its beginning or end is too limited to me. What gives life its Meaning? Why, and How, are we even here? What even is Reality?

Certainly, a part of the answer must be to learn: about the world, and our place in it; about our relationship to others; about our own nature. Another big part of it must be Love in all of its kaleidoscopic forms. I find myself unable to answer this question fully, just like many who have asked this question before me. Perhaps that is another aspect of the meaning of life: to keep questioning, to keep searching.

Our continuous search for the Meaning of Life is part of the very definition of what makes us human.

The meaning of life by Chris:

Each apple could be the last one you ever have. If you knew that in advance, how would it change your approach? You’d probably savour it a bit more, appreciate it a bit more, and most of all not take it for granted. There’s a lot of pithy sayings about treating each day as if it’s your last, but at that level they’re a lot more nebulous than helpful; appreciating an apple, though? That’s something I can do.

Meaning of Life by steve:

The answer to my personal meaning of life question has shifted and shaped itself over time. Much like a suit I wore to one event many years ago doesn’t fit me well today, I adjust and refine as the world and energies around me fluctuate. Don’t fool yourself into believing that your personal meaning can’t evolve with you.

我還是找不到人生的意義 (I still can’t find the meaning of life ) by Alex Hsu:

But who can truly say that a clueless life is a meaningless one?

0037 - meanig of life by Meadow:

I find it in creating things, in active participation in what’s going on around me (living with intent, even though I don’t always manage it), in caring for my family and those around me. I also find meaning in trying to unravel all the traps we set for ourselves in our own minds.

[. . .]

A butterfly has no goal. There’s no action it’s doing that’s specifically oriented towards something grander than just surviving. Nor does a flower have any goal, nor does a cloud, or a bird, or a river. Nothing in the natural world is doing anything but dancing to the tune of life.

The Meaning of Life by NV:

The fact that we have the chance alone to pursue something better is all we need to understand why we need to live.

The Meaning of Life by Xander:

A legacy could only last so long. You’ll be forgotten by the time that the sun explodes. If that is the case then, what is meaning? Nothing could really significantly matter if it’s temporary. But if nothing has any meaning, then why do we strive for it?

Maybe the meaning of life by Frances:

I’ve come to a “if nothing matters then everything matters” resolution. There is no meaning, so we can make meaning.

This approach also has flexibility. The meaning can change without it undermining previous meanings. Where and how I’m finding meaning can be one thing now, another thing in the future.

Right now I’m leaning towards trying to be a good person. That’s what I want to be doing with my life.

Love, Always by Marisabel Munoz:

This is what I believe is the meaning of life, of my life. As I explained, I do believe we all have our own meaning, and there is none universal one. We all have our own reasons of being. I told him all this, and that he needs to find his own, what is true to him.

The meaning of life by noa:

So what is the meaning of life? I don’t know. Of course i don’t know. But what i value, and what i think makes life more than just a ride that we are dragged along on, is to stop for a moment and consider how we each want to be. Because we have that capacity, and to act on it is one of the most simple and powerful things that we, as humans, can do.

Meaning of Life by Bekah (FrugalGamer):

In my life I’ve used this as a guiding principle: meaning is found when we come together. It reminds me to reach out to my loved ones when I’m lonely, and to ask for help when I need it.

[machine translated] When productivity is maximized and material resources are no longer scarce, humanity may no longer face a survival crisis, but rather “not knowing the meaning of its existence.”

the meaning of (my) life by mike mcdonald:

our curiosity makes us wonder what life was like before us, what life will be like after us, and what we can do to make our lives better now. this is our humanity showing, which, for us humans, i think is worthwhile to entertain.

[. . .]

i suppose i’d want people to be honest about how i affected them. i don’t want my memory to be sugarcoated, though i know that will probably happen. i am a flawed person, we are all flawed people somehow. i want to be remembered for who i really was, not for who i tried to be.

Secular faith and the meaning of life by Sam:

2026-02 theme: Intersecting Interests

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