"Is purpose necessary in life?"
Haru asked abruptly. In the after-school classroom, Ren and Noa looked surprised.
"What's this about, suddenly?" Ren asked.
"I was filling out the career survey. There's a section for 'future goals.'"
Noa laughed. "Couldn't write anything?"
"I wrote something... but it felt fake."
Ren's face became serious. "You feel you lack purpose?"
"Yeah. Everyone's writing 'become a doctor' or 'start a business.' But I don't have anything particular."
"Is that a problem?" Noa asked.
Haru was confused. "Isn't it... a problem?"
"Why do you think it's a problem?"
"Without purpose, you don't know where to go."
Ren countered. "But does having a purpose guarantee you go in the right direction?"
"Huh?"
"What if the purpose is wrong? What if being bound by purpose makes you miss other possibilities?"
Haru pondered. "Purpose is... a double-edged sword?"
"You could say that." Noa joined in. "Sartre said, 'Existence precedes essence.'"
"Existence? Essence?"
"Humans exist initially without purpose or meaning. That's existence. Then, through living, you create your essence."
Haru was surprised. "Create? Not find?"
"Not find, but create." Ren emphasized. "This is the core of existentialism."
"But," Haru objected, "without purpose, won't you just drift?"
"Drifting and freely choosing are different." Noa pointed out. "Because you lack purpose, you can choose freely."
"Freedom..."
Ren gave an example. "A mountain climber has a purpose—the summit. But someone taking a walk has no purpose. Which is richer?"
"I don't know," Haru said honestly.
"There's no right answer." Noa smiled. "But think about it. The climber only sees the summit. The walker can enjoy everything along the way."
"But the climber has achievement."
"Yes. So you can't decide which is better." Ren summarized. "What's important is which you choose."
Haru crossed her arms. "So I'm a walker?"
"That's for you to decide." Noa said. "But walking is fine."
"Really?"
"Nietzsche praised 'purposeless play.'" Ren added. "Living unbound by purpose is also a philosophy."
Haru felt a bit relieved. "But society demands purpose."
"Society's demands and your truth are different." Noa said quietly. "Do you live to meet others' expectations, or follow your own truth?"
"Difficult choice."
"Life is a series of those." Ren acknowledged. "But even without purpose, there's direction."
"Direction?"
"Values, interests, intuition. You move in the direction they indicate. The destination isn't fixed, but the direction of travel is."
Haru's eyes lit up. "A compass but no map?"
"Poetic but accurate." Noa laughed. "Purpose is a map. But you can journey with just a compass."
"In fact," Ren continued, "with just a compass, there are unexpected discoveries."
Haru looked at the career survey. "So how should I fill in the 'goals' section?"
"Write honestly." Noa advised. "'Currently exploring' is fine."
"Exploration is also a valid state." Ren supported. "Only by having a period without purpose can you find true purpose."
Haru laughed. "You need a period without purpose to find purpose."
"Paradoxical but true."
Haru picked up her pen. "'While exploring various possibilities, I want to discover my own values.'"
Noa and Ren nodded.
"Perfect." Ren said.
"Is purpose necessary?" Haru murmured. "The answer: 'Necessary for those who need it. Unnecessary for those who don't.'"
"That's also an answer." Noa smiled.
Outside the window, birds flew freely. They might have no destination. But they were certainly flying.