Exploring Existential Concerns/What Ought We Do?

It is intriguing to pause and consider a question both intimate and vast: What ought we do?

We all live on this one beautiful planet.

In the smallest, most immediate sense, the answer starts with the mundane: getting out of bed, taking a shower, eating breakfast, and moving into the rhythms of the day. The tasks are familiar—getting the kids off to school, heading to work, and planning dinner. The chores persist too: laundry to fold, dishes to wash, trash to take out. There is, perhaps, a lawn waiting to be mowed.

As the holidays approach, those rhythms take on a festive hue. The to-do list stretches to include shopping for food, decorating the house, sending cards, and buying gifts. These acts, though seemingly small, tether us to a shared tradition and a broader sense of purpose.

Yet, even amid this busyness, there is room for stillness. In those quiet moments—while journaling, meditating, practicing yoga, or simply breathing deeply—we might pause and ask ourselves what truly matters. What do we care for? Whom do we care for? Perhaps it starts with taking care and giving care.

From there, the scope widens. Our thoughts turn outward to family, friends, neighbors, and our communities. The timeframe stretches too—from the immediate to the weekly, monthly, yearly, and even the arc of a lifetime. We think about how to care for ourselves better: eating well, exercising more, tending to our physical and mental health. We think about how to care for others: making time for loved ones, offering support, and building connections.

Perhaps this season prompts us to consider not just resolutions but transformations. What kind of person do we want to become? What values do we hold dear? How might we embody compassion, practice virtue, or live the golden rule? Self-improvement, we realize, is not just for our benefit; it is a gift to those around us.

The scope of concern expands further still. Beyond friends and family, we think of those we may never meet: neighbors we’ve yet to know, strangers in distant places, people across the globe. We recognize that our actions ripple outward—influencing communities, nations, and the world. Citizenship asks more of us than paying taxes and voting; it invites us to engage actively, to care deeply, and to envision a future where all can thrive.

“What ought we do?” is not a question we answer once but one we carry with us, a companion to our days and years. It invites reflection on our interconnectedness and our shared humanity. It challenges us to think beyond ourselves, to consider the needs of others, and to act with both urgency and foresight.

To seek real good is a lifelong endeavor. It is a quest to understand what is true, to discern what is just, and to align our actions with those ideals. It asks us to explore our beliefs, refine our worldview, and strive for harmony between our aspirations and reality. It is about finding common ground and working together to build a better world.

We begin to see the ethical imperative: to promote flourishing and minimize harm, to act with empathy and integrity, to commit ourselves to justice. This is not easy work, but it is essential. It calls us to address the grand challenges of our time—climate change, inequality, human rights—and to imagine a future that is better for all.

What ought we do? We ought to seek real good. And in doing so, perhaps we can take small but meaningful steps toward peace on Earth and goodwill toward all.

Assignment:

1. Use this planning grid to record your plans over various timeframes and expanding circles of concern.