What is life?

Helene Bam
Jedidjah Kakuva



According to Wikipedia, “life is a characteristic that distinguishes physical entities that do have biological processes, such as signalling and self-sustaining processes, from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased, or because they never had such functions and are classified as inanimate. Various forms of life exist, such as plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea, and bacteria. The criteria can at times be ambiguous and may or may not define viruses, viroid, or potential artificial life as "living". Biology is the primary science concerned with the study of life, although many other sciences are involved." Well one can just define life as "service".

The reason why I define life as such is because we live to serve other people, we live to serve animals, and most of all we live to serve God. Just to be clear, serving comes in many forms. Showing love to one another is one of the common forms of serving.

Seven types of people you need in life

1. The kind-hearted friend

This type of person is willing to offer you anything from kind words, to their network list to even some financial aid for you to go ahead and pursue your dreams. The kind-hearted friend is generous and desires to see you progress. If they notice your potential, they feel they owe it to you to give you what you need to be successful.

2. The die-hard optimist

When you are overwhelmed with challenges and obstacles, you need this kind of person to help you see the positive angle from where you are standing. A positive view is one that takes you in the right direction and helps you focus on results rather than your limitations. The die-hard optimist may be a dreamer or a philosopher but they definitely want to know that everything will work out for your own good after all.

3. The mentor

Everyone knows the value of a mentor in becoming successful. The mentor is who has the experience and has sailed through the journey of success. They certainly have made mistakes and have lessons from them which they can impart you with. They are concerned about your growth and are willing to provide advice, guidance and perspective as you go through your journey.

Steven Spielberg once said: “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.”

4. The devil’s advocate

As much as you need someone who is willing to dream with you and make such dreams seem effortless, you also need the devil’s advocate. The devil’s advocate is one who looks at a goal logically and critically and identifies any weakness in it. Yes, this may not be a pleasurable role for anyone, as they say the truth is always hurting. However, you need such person around you since they will help you identify the thorns in the rose.

5. The inspirational figure

What separates this role from that of the mentor is that the inspirational figure could be more of a role model rather than one who simply guides you through the hurdles of success. The inspirational figure can be more distant from you, but they’re solid in deeds and character. Yet they will serve as the ideal model for you to follow. “I think a role model is a mentor - someone you see on a daily basis, and you learn from them,” says veteran American actor Denzel Washington.

6. The loyalist

The loyalist sees you for your strengths and is a full time supporter of your cause. They want you to succeed and to them you can do no wrong on this journey to reach your goals. They have your back at any hour and would go to great lengths to help you succeed. They may not be consistent in your life but when you need them they would always come to the party. The thing about the loyalist is that they are there for you all the way, and they rarely retreat, even in the face of ridicule. They believe in you and your dreams and will always be a loyal companion.

7. The sidekick

This is more like a companion, a buddy, a full time supporter of your cause. They are there for you, not simply because they are loyal, but because they have skills that you can also tap from. They are astute and make opportunities happen. The thing about the sidekick is that they are effective because they know you like no other person does and have always been present in your life.

Tips on how to be a winner in life:

One can do nothing but spread love and be a servant to both the rich and poor.

Learn to enjoy your own company.

Learn to love yourself before loving someone else.

Focus and work on you before giving yourself over to someone else.

Live by the law of attraction.

Positivity, focus and never give up.

Yes, life gets hard but suicide and self-harm is never the options most days are always better than others so be strong.

If you don't like something about yourself change it do something about it.

Very few people care about one another, the only care about the possessions we have, how successful you are and what qualities you hold.

In conclusion live life. Tomorrow is never promised...

*Jedidjah Kakuva is an amateur photographer and aspiring electronics engineer student.