Meaning of Life by Lois Bolin, Ph.D., Old Naples Historian

What Is the Meaning of Life?
Some say that the meaning of life is that which we choose to give it. Grok.AI states that the meaning of life refers to the significance or purpose of existence, which varies greatly among individuals. No one would have known this better than Viktor Frankl, who, in 1945, within months of his liberation from a Nazi concentration camp wrote a book in nine days called Man’s
Search for Meaning.

His book, which tells of the unbelievable horrors and suffering he endured as a prisoner at Auschwitz, Dachau and other camps, had another purpose: to explore the source of his will to survive. Some see life as a never-ending quest for pleasure, while others feel life is about the accumulation of power and money. Frankl saw life as a quest for meaning.

So now I ask, what is the meaning of life in Naples? It depends.

Jet Setting into History
Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of the enduring publication, The Everglades: River of Grass, was known for her humanitarian efforts before she lent her energies to the cause of protecting the swamp at the southern tip of Florida. In honor of the dedication of the Everglades National Park in 1947, Mrs. Douglas wrote a fitting tribute to the man to whom all Floridians owed a great debt of thanks: Ernest Francis Coe, the Forgotten Father of the Everglades.

Her tribute began with, “He was certainly the prophet, and unmistakably the founder, yet he was hard to define. Ernest F. Coe, the 6-foot-tall, spare, courtly gentleman without whose startling vision, slow burning passion, steely endurance, and indomitable will, there would be no Everglades National Park today. And, probably, no Everglades.

Fast Forward
The Interior Department commissioned the first environmental impact study ever done in Florida on the “Big Cypress Swamp Jetport,” (“Leopold-Marshall Report”) in 1969.

The study said bluntly the Jetport, “will inexorably destroy the South Florida ecosystem and thus the Everglades National Park.”

Enters the grand lady, 80 years young, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, along with like-minded people who formed Friends of the Everglades. The group’s long-term goal: protect the unique ecosystem. Its short-term goal: stop the Jetport.

Stop it they did. Environmental concerns are what shut down the Jetport plan, with work stopping in 1970. Today with the development of Alligator Alcatraz; the concerns are the same while the need is different.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had requested state authorities to find locations for temporary (key word) detention centers in favor of the Trump administration’s fight on illegal immigration. In a matter of days, he received approval.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that under President Trump’s leadership, they are working at ‘turbo speed’ to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens. What do we really know about the establishment?

We know 1) the facility’s runway can handle large aircraft 2) it will detain migrants who have been arrested in Florida and around the nation 3) the National Guard will be present 4) officials will be on hand to provide due process 5) and “heavy-duty tent” and trailer amenities will be the main components of the system. Fortunately, not a lot of brick and mortar are necessary.

In order to assist towns housing DHS-released migrants awaiting court hearings, the initiative, established in late 2022 will help to defray some of the costs. Of course these are not 5-star hotels.

Is that all there is?
Environmentalists and the local Miccosukee Tribe oppose the project due to ecological concerns and proximity to sacred grounds. Others are concerned about what pollution will end up in the Everglades, other than detainees who would be foolish to tackle this feat.

Governor DeSantis is Florida born and understands the delicate balance of the 7,800 square mile area of wetlands and their vital importance to drainage and water management, not to mention it’s home to thousands of species of flora, fauna, and animals- excluding pythons.

He also understands President Trump’s mandate to return 10+million illegals back to their home countries within the next 3.5 years.

Now I ask again: what is the meaning of life in Naples? We all are looking for that answer no matter where we live; but one thing is for sure: “if there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete.”

Every Friday, 8 a.m. on 239 LIVE podcast.