“Why are we here?” I questioned.

                “I told you already,” Lu Han said, “I just wanted to go to the beach.”

                “That’s not it.” I replied. “I mean, why are we here, on Earth? Why do we even exist?”

                My boyfriend of six years, Lu Han, and I were lying underneath the stars on top of my favorite quilt- the last gift from my grandmother before she had passed away.  Lu Han had arrived home from work that day whining and complaining about his horrible day at work and saying that he needed break.  So that’s how we ended up here, my head resting on his shoulder as we gazed at the stars.  Fortunately, it was winter, so we were allowed peace and quiet.  Unfortunately, it was winter, so our little party of two had been greeted with freezing temperatures and a chilly ocean breeze.  Lu Han, however, had been quite determined to make the drive worthwhile, so the two of us had stopped by the local convenience store to grab as many blankets that we afford. Currently, we were snuggled together under approximately seven blankets varying in size and design.  One was Hello Kitty, I think.

                Lu Han chuckled, “Why the sudden question?”

                I squirmed, slightly embarrassed to have sprung such a heavy question. “I mean… Think about it.  Every day, we go from place to place, worry about the smallest things, and then just repeat the cycle all over again the next day. It’s seems like a rather meaningless existence, really…” I trailed off, realizing that I was about to start babbling.

                Lu Han’s smile faded, replaced with a rather serious expression.  “Do you really think that?” He asked me, “That life is meaningless?”

                I hesitated before answering, “Well, it doesn’t exactly have a point does it?”

                That’s when Lu Han began his rant. “That’s a lie.” He began. “Life has meaning. Maybe life isn’t always perfect, but it most definitely can be. The things we worry about shouldn’t even be considered a part of life, because worries are exactly what cause life to seem meaningless.  There is so much in life to look forward too.  The feeling you get on your birthday, with all your friends and family around you, that has meaning.  The feeling of summer, of relaxation, of freedom, that has meaning too. The feeling of hot chocolate on a cold day.  Dancing in the spring rain. Sleeping in.  Music.  Friendship.  The first snowfall.  Our relationship, the two of us, we most definitely have meaning.” He said softly turning to look at me. “The meaning of life is… Happiness.”

                He became quiet after that, and the two of us laid there, lost in our own thoughts.  Finally, I broke the silence. “I love you.” I said to him abruptly.

                He softly smiled at me, before replying, “I love you, too. Those three words, from you, hold the most meaning… For me.”

                I felt a wide smile spread across my face as we returned to the comfortable silence from before. Though I didn’t quite understand life- and I doubted that I ever would- I felt a stronger appreciation for life. “A stronger appreciation,” I thought as I ce again to face my boyfriend, “for us.”

                And with that, I fell asleep and dreamt of spring rains, hot chocolate, and the ocean waves.