the question that stumped them all

There comes a time in everyone's life where they stop and ask "what is the meaning of life?" or even a more personal "what is my purpose in life". Isn't that the ultimate question, the meaning of our lives. For instance, was Jimi Hendrix's purpose in life to become successful OR to inspire generation upon generation of guitarist and an entire music genre. Did he have to die to fulfill that?? Was every victim of A.I.D.S purposes in life to contract the disease, die, and build up in numbers only to eventually, one day, push scientist to find a cure? Did my grandfather live 12 years after he was diagnosed his doctor said he could die within six months just to show me to never loose my faith in God? Did a friendly conversation with a complete stranger stop him/her (or even yourself) from committing suicide? Was that person to live and become or help somebody become an inspirational figure? Is it 5 billion peoples purpose in life to do nothing of great importance but just stay out the way of those 1 billion people that will? Was it the mother of Barack Obama's purpose to give birth to him, so he could become president and put hope in a crumbling country and in the hearts of mankind, and to let the world know that anything is possible (and that America isn't racist)? Was the purpose of all those failed musicians, writers, actors/actresses, etc to make room for the ones that would make an impact? I can't help but think that......some people can't look past their failures and loses, although to them it may be bad or horrific even, but what if from that misfortune came success for somebody else? Will people as a whole ever be able to look past that?