"The Epic of Gilgamesh: Legacy and Life Fulfillment"

"What we are today comes from our thoughts of
Yesterday and our present thoughts build our life
Of tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind."
~Dhammapada~

Upon reading the "Epic of Gilgamesh," one may wonder if there is a lesson to learned. What insight into life is presented as a moral of the story? One lesson may suggest the conditions that inspire a fulfilling life. This lesson is one of growth; to appreciate a life that inevitably ends in death, a person must prepare a foundation of experiences to leave as a legacy. Through the experiences of the principle character, King Gilgamesh, the "Epic of Gilgamesh" suggests that acts of personal greatness and selfishness are not the key to a fulfilling life and legacy. Additionally, the text suggests that meaning and appreciation can be established through wisdom and altruism.
Building a fulfilling life begins by examining the negative qualities that are not essential to the end result. In the "Epic," it is the se...