In the final episode of 80-90s TV series Cheers--One for the Road, at the very end of the episode, each character shares what he or she believes is the meaning of life. It was a very solemn, yet strong ending where Sam is alone and walks out of the bar he owned--his one true love.
Below is the conversation the cast has on the meaning of life.
Sam: One by one, I seem to be losing my uh... thrills and, uh... tingles you know. I keep asking myself, what is the point to life? Woody: Whew! That's a tough question. Cliff: Yeah, well, I got the answer. Frasier: Somehow I knew you would. Cliff: Comfortable shoes. Frasier: Shoes? Cliff: Yeah. If you're not wearing comfortable shoes, life is just chaos. The greatest accomplishments in history have been made by men wearing accommodating shoes. Well, Frasier, tell me, who do you think is the greatest thinker in all mankind? Frasier: I don't know, uh, Aristotle? Cliff: There you go, sandals. Perhaps the most comfortable shoes there is. You hardly even know you have them on. I mean, Confucius... thongs. Einstein, loose loafers. Woody: Wow. Carla: I'll tell you what the point of life is. Having kids... creating life. Sure, it's disappointing and painful, heartbreaking at times. Sure, they can drive you crazy and make you think you just can't get through another day. Where was I going with this? Frasier: You know, some would say that the search for meaning is a waste of time, that all human life is just a cosmic accident, an arbitrary conglomeration of molecules evolved by chance... into an organism with a brain stem... condemning it to ponder futilely the reason behind it all. Woody: I know Dr. Crane is just trying to keep the conversation lively, but... all I know is my life would've been nothing if it weren't for all of you. You people are as dear to me as my own family. Moreso in fact. Shortly after...
Frasier: No one wants to be the first to say it, but I'm not ashamed to admit... what I think we're all feeling--that time goes by so fast, people move in and out of your life. You must never miss an opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you. Well... I... I... I... I...
Again, shortly after... with only Norm and Sam left in the room.
Norm: Sammy, I didn't want to say this in front of the others, but you know what I think the most important thing in life is? Is love. You want to know what I love? Sam: Beer, Norm? Norm: Yeah. I'll have a quick one. No, Sammy, I love that stool. If there's a heaven, I don't want to go there unless my stool is waiting for me. I'll tell you what, even God better not be on it. Sam: He wouldn't dare. Norm: I don't think it matters what you love, Sammy. It could be a person, it could be a thing, as long as you love it totally, completely... without judgement.
.
.
.
Norm: You could never be unfaithful to your one true love. You always come back to her.
Interestingly the TV show attempts to tackle the question from multiple angles based on the characters' personalities. Which character do you think got the answer right? Or is the answer to life something completely different?