What's the Point?

One day, a ten year old asked me:

What's the point of life if we all will die? We won't bring anything with us and we won't remember anything after we die. So what's the point of life?

I was surprised that he at this young age already started to ponder what has puzzled many grownups in this world. Since very early days, he has been that kind of kid who seems always happy. I know he has read a lot of books ahead of his age level. He also enjoys watching TV programs about universe, stars, black hole, life and nature. But I was still surprised and concerned. Even worse, I couldn't give him a good answer right away, because it had bothered me for a long time, without being resolved. So I tried hard to divert his attention to other topics, but he just kept circling his thought back to ask the same question.

That night I could hardly fall asleep and kept thinking about his question. I also thought about what he likes the most in everyday life. So I got up and wrote him an email message:

What's the point of getting on a roller coaster ride if you'll have to get off?
What's the point of reading a fascinating story book if it has an end?
What's the point of playing a video game if you'll eventually go through all levels?
I guess you would say: because it's fun.

Yes, it's fun!

Isn't Earth like a giant roller coaster?

We all are riding it.

We all know there will be an end.

 

But who cares?

Because it's just fun!

(Someone already waiting to ride it again:)

The next day he replied with his Android phone:

umm.... u know tht when lfe ends, u dnt remembr wat has hppened. even rller csters u cnt remembr thm.

Boy, isn't he pessimistic? So I made a second try and wrote back:

I agree with you that we won't bring or remember anything when we hit the end.
And just because of that, I don't care so much about the end.

What's the point of thinking of the end everyday,
if it will come anyway?

Let it be.
Let life roll.
Just like riding a roller coaster.

There're highs.
There're lows.
There're also scary turns.

Aren't all those part of the fun?
So hold tight
and enjoy the ride.

I was not sure if he got his answer, but he didn't write back this time. Since then, he hasn't ask the question again and seems happy overall. But I know it will bother him again sometime, and I need to come up with a better answer.

Maybe you can help me out. Have you faced such a question from a young kid? How would you cope with it?

（麵對這樣一個問題，該用哪種語言交流成了另一個問題。我的英文能力有限，孩子的中文更糟。想了想，還是用蹩腳的英文吧，至少他能大概知道我在說什麽。）