Last month the world stopped turning to focus on the recent debut of Caitlyn Jenner, who took a bold step in announcing her completed transition into the woman she always felt she was

Our Pledge of Allegiance was written a full 116 years after the Revolutionary War and Declaration of Independence. The phrase “Under God” wasn’t even in the original text of our pledge: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Instead of allowing others to manipulatively interpret our lives, our gods, our spirituality and our religious beliefs—interpretations that are much too small, elitist, repressive and oppressive—we must assume responsibility for interpreting them ourselves.

Only through making the meaning of our suffering a conscious agenda and summons for spiritual enlargement can we ever emerge from the underworld. In our lives, periods of wounding present rich possibilities for enlarged being—if we courageously fearfully accept the invitation.

We all hunger for significance, for signs that our personal existence is of special meaning in the universe.

Since meaning and purpose in life are no longer simply bestowed on you, you have to become more active in creating your own meaning in life.