Why am I here?

Lately, I've been wondering what my next goal is in life.  When I expressed this, someone played devil's advocate, because you know, that's a fun thing to do.  He said, "In a way, I think the human race wants something more, better, bigger, and their souls are unnecessarily restless.  In a way, I feel it induces unnecessary misery, higher divorce rates, etc.  I am all for betterment of one's self.  But what is also wrong with "I have arrived and am content"?  Just playing devil's advocate."

I suppose I just feel that I have arrived in many ways.  I am sort of content, but mostly I am trying to figure out, if I am past my prime, why am I still here?

So that restlessness led me to commencement speeches, where I can pretend I am a part of an audience who still has huge goals for their futures and who still would welcome some mildly cliched but mostly inspiring speeches from famous people.

Here are some of my favorites:

Dolly Parton's Commencement speech at UT:  "Do not confuse dreams with wishes.  There is a difference.  Dreams are where you visualize yourself being successful at what's important to you to accomplish.  Now dreams build convictions because you work hard to pay the price to make sure that they come true.  Wishes are hoping good things will happen to you, but there's no fire in your gut that causes you to put everything forth to overcome all the obstacles.  So, you have to dream more, and never ever ever blame somebody else if it doesn't happen."

Bill Cosby's Commencement speech at Carnegie Mellon:  "Nerd:  a prepared person who doesn't give a damn about the dance."

Ellen's Commencement speech at Tulane University:  "Thank you to all of the graduating class of 2009; I realize most of you are hung over and have splitting headaches and you haven't slept since Fat Tuesday but you can't graduate 'till I finish so listen up.  When I was asked to make the commencement speech I immediately said yes.  Then I went to look up what commencement meant... I had to break the word down myself to find out the meaning.  Commencement.  Common, and cement.  Common cement.  You commonly see cement on sidewalks, sidewalks have cracks, and if you step on a crack, you break your mother's back.  So there's that.  But I'm honored that you've asked me here to speak at your common cement.  I ... didn't go to college at all.  And I'm not saying you wasted your time or money, but look at me, I'm a huge celebrity."

Meryl Streep's Commencement speech at Barnard:  "Pretending is not just play.  Pretending is imagined possibility."

Randy Pausch's Commencement speech at Carnegie Mellon:  "We don't beat the Reaper by living longer.  We beat the Reaper by living well and living fully... It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our deathbed.  It is the things we do not... Your passion must come from the things that fuel you from the inside.  Find someone [whose] happiness is more important than [your own]."

Steve Jobs had a similar speech to Randy Pausch's, except it was slightly less eloquent but basically the point was that we should ask ourselves "If today was my last day on earth, would I want to be doing what I will be doing today?"  If the answer is "no" multiple times in a row, you need to make a change.

Perhaps I need a bucket list.  Anyone want to share theirs?