Write a story about the meaning of life. Make it whatever size you want but most importantly make it impactful. After the reader read the story they should have a moment of silence where they reflect on what they just read. Don’t make the meaning too obvious. The reader should think about the story to really understand the meaning of life
He was an old man who lived alone in a small cabin by the lake. He had no family, no friends, no hobbies. He spent his days fishing and reading books. He had seen enough of the world to know that it was full of pain and suffering. He had lost his wife and son in a car accident many years ago. He had never recovered from that tragedy.

One day, he decided to end his life. He wrote a note saying goodbye to no one in particular and left it on his table. He took his fishing rod and walked to the lake. He got into his boat and rowed to the middle of the water. He tied a heavy rock to his feet and threw it overboard. He felt himself sinking into the depths.

As he was drowning, he saw flashes of his life before his eyes. He saw his childhood, his parents, his school days, his first love, his marriage, his son's birth, his son's laughter, his wife's smile, their last kiss, their funeral, his loneliness, his despair. He felt a surge of emotions that he had suppressed for so long.

He realized that he had wasted his life by giving up on happiness after losing them. He realized that they would have wanted him to live on and find joy in the world again. He realized that he still had so much to offer and so much to learn. He realized that life was precious and beautiful despite its hardships.

He wanted to live.

He struggled to free himself from the rock but it was too late. His lungs filled with water and he lost consciousness.

He woke up on a shore surrounded by people. They were smiling and cheering for him. They told him that they had seen him fall into the lake and rescued him just in time. They asked him if he was okay and what had happened.

He looked at them with gratitude and wonder. He felt a warmth in his heart that he had not felt for ages.

He smiled back at them and said:

I'm okay now.

He realized that this was a new beginning for him.

He realized that this was the meaning of life.
So, based on the above story, would you say that the meaning of life is the friends you make along the way?
To a degree, yes. However, that statement would still be an oversimplification of the meaning of the story.