Freud had two nouns for the meaningful life: arbeiten und lieben (work and love). In that altogether too brief description, he defined what, to him, was ultimately worthwhile. Namely, one was to find a mission and spend the hours of work-life professionally pursuing it and, in addition, devote energy to the activity of being a loving person.
In this paper we shall pursue those two options while adding three others: play, appreciation, and creativity. Perhaps they need to be re-ordered in that a proper understanding of love undergirds all the rest. People usually work, not only due to the need to survive, but also the to provide for a family, to contribute to a business, and to be a part of a community. Play is certainly a stimulus for identity, but play is far more fun when others are engaged. Appreciation is the foundation of the private religious life, but it is something that is beautifully shared in community, through poetry, music, prose, and all artistic endeavors. Personally, I think that creativity in service of love is the ultimate answer for using all one's private abilities. So, let it be known at the outset, that love, in the sense of a giving response to others, is the bottom line reality.
Still, each needs explanation. Nothing is more deadly to the human spirit that boredom born of nothing to do. Humans find fulfillment by using their abilities. Work fills the bill. Through work, we accomplish a necessary ingredient of self-respect.
Frank Morris