Lately I've been thinking that the key to happiness might be embracing the void: knowing that we are all but a blip, that nothing we do leaves a lasting impression on the universe, and that the meaning we create for ourselves in the limited context of our own lifetimes is all that we have. (A thought-provoking NPR programme on Camus last night just fueled the fire. We had a great discussion in the car about whether his ideas were philosophy or literature.) This is something I struggle with - I want to make a dent on the universe - but it seems likely that the less you worry about doing that, the more you're likely to actually do it.

I wonder if this need for greater purpose is a cultural phenomenon that religion has given us, or if it's something that has come from something else? I don't think it's universal, or natural. And the jury's out as to whether it's helpful or a distraction.

Hmm. I'm going to need another cup of coffee.