I've come to the realization that I currently have absolutely nothing to look forward to in life (in the short term). Presently, this is a very ominous and depressing thought.

Nothing? Literally nothing?!

Nope. No travel, no family gatherings. Not even exciting weekend plans. the coronavirus pandemic of 2019-20?? has killed off any semblance of normalcy and left us all wondering what the purpose of life is without any of the traditional filler.

It's not to say the filler is a bad thing; in fact, those weekend jaunts to the cabin or pizza nights with friends often recharge us in ways that we haven't experienced in months. But the reality is that it's all still filler. I believe the true purpose of life is to do things beyond the self. Think about it: when was the last time you did something completely selfless for another person and didn't feel good afterward. Not a single instance comes to mind. And while lending others a helping hand is largely impossible these days, what is within reach—and the prerequisite to going beyond the self—is to start with the self.

Wait, what?

I know, that sounds incredibly contradictory. I just got done saying how we need to turn our attention outward to feel fulfilled. And while that's true, you can't give others 100% of your ideal self if you're not actually living as your ideal self. If you're a shell of the person you want to be, then the maximum you'd be capable of giving to others is that very shell. Inherently, to take care of others, you must first take care of yourself.

This doesn't mean the traditional "treat yo-self" mindset. Instead, it means focus on your soul or spirit to make sure it's in good, working order before you turn your attention outward. You wouldn't build a structure on quicksand; nor should you begin to assemble your life's works on an ego under liquefaction.

So,  if we truly are stuck in this isolating mire, and we all have a little (or more) work to do on ourselves, then this coronavirus crisis could, in fact, be the greatest godsend of our colorful, yet eerily succinct, lives.