We live in times of great change, a time when our personal strengths are stretched, sometimes even to the breaking point. The results are disheartening. Many of us fail at our jobs and our relationships; others become addicted to substances or activities that offer only temporary respite. A MEANINGFUL LIFE is a book about living purposefully and composedly in today's world of strife, turmoil, uncertainty, and competitive survival. The recognition is that, with a stable, intelligently derived sense of meaning, anyone can weather any storm with courage and composure, or, as stated by Friedrich Nietzsche, "If we have our own why in life, we shall get along with almost any how."Without it, today's youth and even some older adults are burdened by feelings of uncertainty, loneliness, fear, depression, or despair, leaving a hole in the soul they cannot comprehend, far less fill. The consequence is the irresistible attraction to alcohol, drugs, entertainment, or activities that cause harm to self or others to escape these feelings, or they seek spurious comfort in pretense or acts of physical, sexual, or financial control.Real meaning can only be reached through a logical and scientifically derived definition of the human spirit as the essence of the power of self. This book uses dialogue that critically examines the nature of self, of theism, and of our physical reality to guide the reader to realize their own "why" so they can reach that objective for themselves or to guide someone in their charge to do so.It does not offer ten easy answers or twelve rules to follow. It will, instead, take you through a serious analysis of the human spirit and a logical conclusion on how to realize it, activate it, and build it to a purposeful end. It will introduce historical and scientific facts that may, on the surface, seem irrelevant but, in the end become necessary for your full acceptance and ownership of the conclusions. Your "why" will allow you to confidently create you own "how's".