The objective of the first Waldzell Meeting was to focus attention on the topic of the search for meaning, something that touches all of our lives. By presenting the life-stories of three Nobel laureates, the world's leading researcher on human happiness, the inventor of the birth-control pill, as well as recognized spiritual authorities and artists of world stature, we sought to offer new and valuable lines of sight into what it takes to create and live a meaningful life. The presenters and participants came to the realization during the course of the gathering: The attempt to shape the future is one of the most powerful ways to give meaning to one's life. This provided us with the inspiration for the subject of the Meeting 2005.