@optimist 24 July 2021 more from that month

The question of the meaning of life arose when I was a teenager, when I was fascinated by the study of Latin phrases. At that time many children, having read many books and watched fantastic films about flights into space, were sure that in 20-30 years mankind would go through thorns to the stars (per aspera ad astra), so one must study well, because losers will not be taken into space. A golden childhood with naive dreams. One phrase stuck in my memory: nosce te ipsum (know thyself), which largely determined my own search for the meaning of life. Much later I learned that Socrates made this phrase popular, and that philosopher Plato, in his dialogue Protagoras, explained that these words, which contain absolute truth, were the fruit of the joint thoughts of seven great ancient Greek sages (6th century B.C.). Moreover, one of these philosophers, Helon, extended the same thought: "Know thyself, and thou shalt know the gods and the universe. After that, the phrase that the meaning of life is to build a house, plant a tree, and raise a son always seemed very superficial to me. What is the meaning of life for you? Photo taken in Cambodia, Sihanoukville, 2013