Asking Strangers What the Meaning of Life Is- Edmonton, Whyte Avenue

1. What's the meaning of life?

2. What's one moment in your life that changed you forever?

3. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Good answer we're. Out here in the wild of White
Ave. Yeah, just some shallow
questions. What is the meaning of life to
you? What's the meaning of life?
What is the meaning of life for you guys?
What is the meaning of life to you?
What is the meaning of life? We've taken a long plane trip
all the way from Sherwood Park to get to here.
Where are we going? What's one thing in your life

(00:21):
that happened and changed you forever?
And what's something that happened in your guys life that
changed your life like you feel it changed your life for the
better? It's one thing that's happened
in your life that changed you forever.
Just off of on it, do you think that everything happens for a
reason and why or why not? Do you believe everything

(00:42):
happens for a reason? Do you think that everything
happens for a reason and why or why not?
What is the meaning of life? I think for me, it's being able
to, I guess, almost live like a simple life where I'm enjoying
my time with family, friends andI think honestly, like being
able to devote myself to others around me in a meaningful way

(01:05):
through, like work or volunteering.
Yeah. I think the meaning of life is
leaving your legacy wherever yougo.
Just the capacity to be like, tobe memorable and being kind and
making someone smile at the end of the day, so.
To me well as a religious person, I think it means that we

(01:28):
are supposed to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, which
means to help others follow the 10 commandments and ensure that
everybody is well taken care of and loved.
Awesome. I as a Christian I also
subscribe to that. And to me, I think the meaning
of life is connection, like building connections, seeing the

(01:49):
love and beauty everywhere. To me, that's like being able to
see that once in your lifetime is like super fulfilling. 100%
and you? That was a really good answer,
but I'd say enjoyment, living, letting things be, letting
things happen and then just react accordingly to it so. 100%

(02:09):
those are good ethos boys. So these are.
Life is a verb and it is a river.
There's also a Latin word calledRedditus.
REDITUS means to river back. So whatever you connect to and
connects back to you. And the bigger flaw in how you
give back. That's like I think the meaning
of life is God. I think the people that we

(02:30):
connect with, I think that the things that we do every day,
it's meaningful, whether it justbe washing the dishes, talking
to a friend or coming to white off to do St. interviews right.
It's all bringing us together, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of.
Course that's a beautiful meeting, man.
Life for me, in my perspective, I see life as a big circle.

(02:50):
Life goes around, there's different cycles.
Something is born, something dies.
And he keeps going. Yeah, that's how I see it.
Yeah. For me, I would say to enjoy it
as much as possible because you never know when your last day
will be. And that's probably the best
that I could say it. I have fun, I would say, to

(03:11):
love. I always say that I was put on
earth to love, love my family and my friends and my partner.
And yeah, that's what I think, yeah.
Meaning of life to be happy. We're right off the bat.
I can't answer that no. I can't answer no.

(03:33):
I guess it's why is that? Is it because everybody has
everybody? Has a different meaning, like
gives you a different answer. So you can't really pinpoint it,
you know, really, really different, you know, So you
can't say, I mean, some, some are like, you know, pretty
close. No, they're very different.
They're very diverse, you know. Being of life, you know, both of

(03:56):
us were Christian and so we believe the meaning of life is
to praise God and, you know, honor God and, you know, love
the people around us so. Awesome.
And you? Yeah, just giving glory to God.
Glory to God, OK? To be kind and to do what makes
you happy. It's so cliche but like the
meaning of life is genuinely to just do good and be good.

(04:18):
Yeah, that's fair. Yeah, Yeah.
I mean. It's really simple, people make
it too difficult, but just do good, be good.
Meaning of life tell you what, Iwake up in the morning and the
meaning of life at that time is to get a drink of water because
I'm thirsty. And then meaning of life is to
take a shit because I got to take a shit.
After that meaning of life is togo and get breakfast because I'm

(04:39):
hungry, man. After that, the meaning of life
becomes real unclear until about14 hours later meaning life
becomes going to sleep. That's the meaning of life.
I got you. That's perfect.
OK, it's probably just about honestly making the most of the
life that you have. You're going to have ups and
downs, right? It's always going to always
going to run into some strugglesand you're also going to have
some great achievements. But as long as you're happy with
yourself, you're happy and comfortable in your own skin and

(05:02):
like the big goals that you wantto achieve in life, if you
pursue them, you're in the pursuit of happiness.
So it's probably the meaning of life to me.
Have fun and live your life to the fullest I guess and love
people. Let's spread love.
I don't know, I guess it's just finding something to make you
want to wake up in the morning. Yeah, whatever said that's

(05:23):
that's kind of what we're getting today.
Everybody's just like happy, like, you know, have fun, live
life, love people. It's all about that.
Way to watch the same show over and over again.
That's what I do with my life. Which which show?
Many little liars. What about it keeps you coming
back I. Don't know, I've watched it
since I was like 6. So to you, what is the meaning
of life? The meaning of life, Oh my God,

(05:45):
you call me off, Carter. Life is about small things and
enjoying and being in the momentand being present.
What do you mean by being present?
Enjoying being right here and enjoying them with your loved
ones. You know, people who really
matters. OK, how do you stay present?
Stay present by just being here,not thinking of the future and

(06:07):
of the past. What is the meaning of life,
would you say? Wow, that's a deep question.
Have fun and drink lots of beer.Oh, lots of beer.
Always. And how about you?
Find your own happiness, right? Doesn't matter.
You know what age or you know your background.
If you find your own happiness and you're finding a key secret

(06:29):
to life, the one that I subscribe to is Viktor Frankel.
He was a psychologist, psychiatrist that survived
Auschwitz, and he wrote a book called The Will to Meaning.
And his idea was that the meaning of life was the will to
meaning. So it's the pursuit of meaning
in your life, some of which we never find, and that's what

(06:50):
keeps us going through suffering, is the belief that
there should be meaning in our suffering, which is kind of why
religion exists, right? It's a belief that you'll be
rewarded at the end of your turmoil.
Yeah, awesome. OK, and what's one thing that's
happened in your life that changed you forever?
One thing that's changed me forever, I think that would be

(07:13):
my friends, and that is what I'mvery, very grateful of.
Without them, I wouldn't be here.
What's one thing in your life that happened and changed you
forever? The the death of my childhood
best friend. But I think it changed me
probably for the better because it made me appreciate

(07:34):
relationships more and like divedeeper into relationships.
So yeah, it's a it's a big life changing event that definitely
just made me treasure people more, yeah.
I'm sorry to hear about your childhood best friend.
Thank. You.
Thank you. Yeah.
Yeah, it's, it's tough and beingthat, yeah.
So what's something in your guys's life that happened that

(07:56):
you think changed your life, like changed the course of your
life? Start with her.
I don't know. I don't know if there was like a
pivotal moment, but I guess justinteracting with people daily,
usually there's lots of chances that you can help out people.
And every time that happens, I just feel like I find something

(08:17):
else in me or the community thatmakes me want to keep going and
doing more. Awesome, thanks for the answer.
Yeah, I think like definitely working on White Ave. is
definitely a huge thing because you see so many different kinds
of people, especially working onPedal Pub.
You just do get to interact witha bunch of new, new people and
make some new friends and yeah, it's great A. 100% White Ave. is
always where you find new friends and family and

(08:39):
everything like that. I think for me right now, it's
actually the work that I'm doingright now.
So as my summer job, I'm workingas a community specialist for
Adaptabilities and I think rightnow that's actually been a
really meaningful experience to work with people who are sorry
with like disabilities. So yeah, I think that's been a

(09:00):
really eye opening experience and it's been really meaningful
for me. That's, that's awesome, man.
Being, being able to serve otherpeople is just so fulfilling.
Hey, rather than like, I find when I'm thinking about myself
too much, it gets kind of lonely, you know?
But when you do it for other people, it's freeing.
Probably my first brush with death and loss, to be honest
with you. It changed the way I think about

(09:20):
a lot of things and it did change kind of like that.
What is the meaning of life as well?
I lost a couple of friends in high school and I just lost, I
lost my grandpa like a couple ofyears ago.
And that really changes your perspective on life and kind of
how you see the world right whenthey're not there anymore and
there's somebody you've known since you were born.

(09:42):
It it changed my outlook on it for sure so.
Sorry to hear that, man. I mean, death comes for all of
us, right? And it's just making the best
out of everything, right? And taking it day by day,
feeling grateful and present. Yeah.
Thank you so much. Yeah, absolutely, man.
I mean, I've got to say, most recent thing that happened, that
was like 8 months ago, I was at the gym and I was like

(10:04):
struggling. I was having a real hard time.
And then I just thought, man, I should transition.
And then I did that and that's it.
That's all it was. I just had this thought in my
head. I was like, man, I got to do
that. And then I did that.
That's the most recent thing that happened.
That was like, awesome. That's awesome.
You know I. Got to say like.
I got to say, like, for me, likeI'm thinking about like the

(10:27):
moments like my mistakes and like that like, led me to like,
you know, I wouldn't do them again.
You know, I shaped me to be the person I am today where like,
you know, having those mistakes and then being met with people
who love me and, like God who loves me.
And that really changed me. And like, yeah.

(10:49):
That's that's awesome. And you?
What was the question? It was like, what was something
that that changed your life for the better there?
Yeah. I think the biggest things that
have impact on my life are yeah,the people who have loved me.
So I think like when I think about my grandparents story and
how they have lived their lives and how they continue to live

(11:10):
their lives and like how they have cared for me and my family
and just like sacrifice so much and live without fear.
It inspires me to be better. Those are some awesome stories
you guys are sharing there. Something that happened that
changed the course she's I didn't realize how deep this
interview was going to be. That changed the.
Course of my life. See, we like throwing people on

(11:32):
the spot here on what really getyou thinking.
There's probably a few girls that changed the course of my
life. Not exactly for the best, but,
you know, yeah. Well, you live and you learn,
right? Probably meeting my wife.
Really. Oh, absolutely.
I I was headed. In One Direction and she took.
Me in another and. Ended.
Up in a good career? Awesome.
And is it the same for you or something different?

(11:54):
Yeah. I mean, it's something that we
still talk about in our inner inner circle and, you know, from
college and university days. And yeah, yeah, it's been a good
time. That's awesome guys.
It's probably when I got super depressed and I had like nobody
in my life except one person. And he helped me through like

(12:17):
all of that. And I asked him to this day, I
was like, why did you stay with me?
And he was like, 'cause I didn'twant you to do anything bad.
And ever since that, I kind of that like shifted my whole thing
being like, you only need one person to like show you through
to, for like to live kind of thing.
Just need one, right? Quality over quantity, right?

(12:39):
Oh my goodness. A handful of years ago, my
sister was really sick with GBS.Well, she was really, really
little. So I think that kind of just
made me appreciate life more andlike I said earlier, just loving
and really being present with people.
So. And leading into that, there

(13:02):
what like would be something that changed your life forever?
What something that happened to you that changed your life?
I think I heard my dad crying one time when I was like 1920
and I think I was being, I was an absolute degenerate in high
school. And no, this is after high
school. And then I kind of looked in the
mirror one time and I'm like, ohgeez, like this is this is life,

(13:23):
right? I think the consequences of my
actions and just like everythingleading up to this, that moment
just made me look in the mirror and actually fully take
accountability and take, you know, actual, actual
accountability, not just like, oh, I'm sorry and I'll, I'll
change, but look in the mirror and actually see my flaws.

(13:43):
See the Ugly? Yeah, yeah.
Oh, that's awesome, man. And that accountability part,
that's part of growing up as well, right?
What's one thing, one moment in your life that happened that
changed you forever? I think surrendering and to the
things that you're not going to be able to do.
I think sometimes when we're moving forward in life, instead
of pushing ourselves, there's times as well, like it's easier

(14:05):
to just let it go, give it up. Yeah.
Good advice. Thank you so much, Shiva.
Nice to meet you. Yeah.
Nice to meet you. Honestly, I think working my
serving job and meeting all my girlfriends there, they built
such a great community for me and they're just so supportive
and it's just wanting me to build like a bigger community in
my in all aspects of my life, yeah.

(14:26):
Yeah, that's awesome. I think as I've grown as a
person, I mean, the big one was my dad dying four years ago.
Definitely makes you realize howshort life is.
But also learning that I'm a writer and how I can give back
in that way as well with the messages we have in life.
You know, life is hard. No life is hard.
I'm sorry to hear about your father there.
Thank. You my viewpoint on life in

(14:48):
general. Well, I, I, I'm trans, I'm
transgender and I, when I came out, I was in a relatively
supportive community, but it still wasn't quite, you know,
there. And I was always worried that I

(15:08):
was never going to hit my goal of like what I looked like and
stuff. And you know, it's a hard time,
but I think I, I'm not religiousat all, but I spoke to a
religious friend of mine and shesaid well.
And she said that people who participate in the act of

(15:33):
creation of themselves are the closest to God or well, they,
they need God the least, but they're the closest to them
because they're their own God almost.
They're creating themselves in aconstant state of evolution.
So really I just view my life asa constant state of evolution.
You know, I'm not really pursuing an ultimate goal more

(15:55):
so I'm just here for a good timeand just trying to make meaning
in my community and talk to people and have a good time, eat
good food. And you know, I, I don't believe
that there is an end to it, but I believe that the pursuit and
the journey is what it's all about.
It's very brave. That's a really great answer as
well. There's something that happened

(16:16):
to your guys life that changed that you feel changed your life
or changed your outlook on life.Honestly, I could attribute like
the changes in my life to my friends, like having like
connections, right? Like these people who are very
kind and caring and like pullingme up when I'm done.

(16:38):
So I'd say I'll give it to them,yeah.
That's awesome, man. I think things are happening to
me every day that are changing here as a person, you know, for
better or for worse. But I think what keeps me on the
right path is my family and the people I hold close to me.

(16:59):
That's awesome, man. Family, friends.
Hey, that's, they're great. A great antidote towards the
worries and stresses of life, nodoubt.
Yeah. Is there one thing that happened
in your life that changed you forever?
Yeah, I had a really crazy boss and she like bullied me and

(17:20):
harassed me and I, I ended up losing my job because I had to
leave. But yeah, I hate her.
That sucks. But that changed my life because
I had a career and I lost my career.
Do you think that everything happens for a reason and why or
why not? Yeah, I do.
I think like everything happens for a reason because like not in

(17:43):
the sense that like the reason this happens is because it's
like some something. But I think ultimately whatever
you're looking for will find youfirst and whatever happens to
get you to that point will happen, right?
A. 100% And how are you, Shawn? Yeah, of course.

(18:04):
Of course, everything happens for a reason.
I think that's just like, that'sjust the way to view life, you
know? Like I think if it doesn't
happen for a reason, you can geta very negative outlook on
things and who wants to live like that?
Well, thank you guys for your time.
Those are great answers. They're awesome.
I'm running you guys on the street here.
Thank you guys. Now, do you believe everything
happens for a reason? Why or why not?

(18:27):
OK, I think that's like a reallygood question.
I feel like I almost want to sayyes because I feel like even
when you don't feel like, or forexample, let's say like when you
get rejected, right, I always like to think that rejection is
always redirection. So I feel like for that, you
know, everything happens for a reason.
Even if you feel like at the moment, Oh my gosh, like this is

(18:47):
terrible, I think it'll always serve you down the line later.
Thank you so much, Madison. Yeah.
Thanks for having me. Yeah.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
Yeah. Why?
I don't know. I can just do like butterfly
effect, you know, like if I tripon a rock, I might not get a

(19:07):
drink later because I didn't trip on that rock.
Yeah. Yeah, sweet.
Thank you so much for your time.You're welcome.
Last question, do you guys thinkthat everything happens for a
reason? Why or why not?
I think it does. I feel like there's a plan for
everybody, whether that's, you know, smaller things or big
things. Yeah, everybody has a purpose

(19:30):
and everything happens for a reason.
I don't think that. I think that lots of stuff
happens that shouldn't happen and that we don't like, but you
have to find the reason and everything that happens to you.
And I think that's what gives people a purpose, is just
finding resilience in things that maybe shouldn't have

(19:50):
happened to you or what you didn't expect to happen.
But you can find a reason to go through it and to push through.
How are diamonds formed? Pressure.
Thank you very much for you guysthis time today there.
And would you be surprised you, the first person, actually say
that not everything happens for a reason today?
No, I don't think I'm surprised about.

(20:13):
That absolutely, absolutely everything that happens.
Every twig that falls, every Pebble that's on the street,
everything, everything happens for a reason, man.
I don't know what that reason is.
Nobody does. But I think everything,
everything, everything happens for a good reason.
It's all going to work out. That's how it is.
Perfect. Those are some great answers
there. Thank you very much for your
time here. Thank you for talking to me.
No problem. You have a good day.

(20:34):
That's difficult. Actually, that's difficult.
I I think everything happens fora reason.
Maybe the reason isn't always good, but I think everything
that happens you give it a reason with like how you react
to it and how you move forward with it.
So it's up to you if the reason is good or bad.
Yes. Sweet.
Thank you so much, Rebecca. Oh yeah, sweet.

(20:55):
Sure, sure. Yes, but you don't always know
what the reason. Is you don't know what the
reason is, Yeah. So why would you say that
everything happens for a reason?You know, the Bible says that
like God is sovereign, you know,and he's unknowing.
And so you know, if those, if those two are true, right, then

(21:16):
then surely all things happen for a reason.
Oh 100% and same for you or no? Oh, yeah, Like we're all
characters in a story being written by God, who's bigger
than us. So when you're going through the
story, you don't know what's happening and why.
But if there's an author and theauthor's a good author, it's
good A. 100% Well, thank you guys for your time today.

(21:38):
Thank you for stopping by and having an interview here.
Have a good one. I'd like to think so.
Why is that? Well, I mean, when you've gone
through a lot of shit, you hope that it happens because
something good is coming, right?Yeah.
A. 100%, man, 100%. Well, thank you for your time
today. It was a very good interview and
you have a good day. All right, you too, guys here.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

(21:59):
Absolutely. 100% absolutely. Awesome.
Thank you very much for your guys time today here.
Thank you. Do you believe everything
happens for a reason? Why or why not?
Absolutely. Absolutely.
I can't explain why, but the universe loves to flirt with you
if you like, if you open your ears to it so.
It's sweet. Thank you so much.

(22:19):
Your name, Advent. Advent, nice to meet you.
I think so. The why of it, that's if I knew
that answer, we wouldn't be creating art and we wouldn't be
living life if we knew all the answers, right?
Yeah. Precisely.
Sweet. Well, thank you very much for
the interview here. Thank you.
Thank you. Provide me the link to this.
Yes, we will. Yeah.
Not in a fatalistic sense where there's nothing you can do to

(22:40):
change it. I think that some things occur
with purpose and a lot of thingsoccur by chance.
But we may not be able to control what happens.
But what we can't control is howwe respond to it.
And I think that's the most important thing.
Thank you so much. Yeah, no problem.
Good to meet. You.
Yeah. One more question.
I won't keep you too long here. Does every do you think that
everything happens for a reason?And why or why not?

(23:03):
I believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you believe it happens for a reason, I think that you can
find meaning in tripping over a curb and falling flat on your
face. If you think about it as well,
maybe somebody saw me from theircar and laughed and that's what
kept them alive that day. I think that your reality is

(23:25):
your outlook on reality, and youonly you really get to decide
whether or not everything happens for a reason.
You can. You can believe that you live in
a world of endless, needless cruelty, or you can believe that
it's all in the interest of someultimate goal, or you can
believe that you know you there's reason for your actions,

(23:49):
and that therefore there everything else happens for a
reason and you're contributing to that 100%.
Yeah, sweet. Thank you very much for the
answers there. Thank you.
Thank you. It was very, very good to chat
with you. Yeah.
Nice to meet you. Yeah, you believe everything
happens for a reason. Why or why not?
I think they do. I think we are where we're meant

(24:11):
to be right now and we are all in perfect alignment with
everything that is about to happen or what is happening
right now. Too sweet.
And then, yeah, for those of youat Whiteout, what is this?
What? What's the art called?
What do you mean? What's the art called?
What? Are you what's, how do we?
Where can people find you? Oh.
You can find me at Wild Jasmine Tattoo Studio.
Again, my name is Ken Ochiman and I am an oil painter and I do

(24:34):
tattoos as well. Sweet, thank you so much.
Thank you so much both of you and have a good rest of your
day.