Something on "purpose in life"

A former student of mine just gave birth to a girl last night and we were very happy for them as they are truly blessed this Christmas and the coming New Year. She has been a most dedicated student during her undergraduate and graduate schooling and she is currently one of our most hard-working technical staff at our office. She has chosen to defer more advanced studies in order to have a family, and I think she made the right decision - she is now a mother. I am writing this as I recall a comment a good friend and colleague of mine at the university made with regards to batch mates of my student. 

My friend stated that she felt that our former students who are now taking advanced studies abroad seem to have no purpose in life. She made the observation that it seems that the end itself for these people seem to be to go abroad, study and get advanced degrees but not necessarily for any noble objective. I think I replied that that was indeed sad if it were true. I shared some of this sentiment as I see former students here and abroad who appear to be getting to the proverbial nowhere despite careers or scholarships affording them to live quite comfortably if not exactly luxuriously. Traveling and acquiring this and that is good but ultimately, how are they spending their times and lives now and in preparation for the future? Are they living fully or just wiling away their times not really knowing what to do or where to go?

This is why I feel happy looking at those who seem to be living their lives to the fullest by also sharing themselves, especially in terms of having a family and raising children. [Note: sharing yourself to others is not defined strictly to having a family and/or having children. You can also be sharing yourself by devoting time to worthy causes or initiatives.] I think this is a big difference between people who appear to be enjoying themselves especially with material things and those who give themselves to others. I think the latter type of people who are living their lives to the fullest and who have come to know their purpose in life.

What is your purpose in life?
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