I know this is a basic question! But why our we here, most people go through there lives not questioning the reason why? People like us have ideas, views an urge to understand what this is all about? Do you think we are ever going to find the answer?
Since we are in a Philosophical Forum, note this from Russell;
Thus, to sum up our discussion of the value of philosophy;
Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions since no definite answers can, as a rule, be known to be true, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves;
because these questions enlarge our conception of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagination and diminish the dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation; but above all because, through the greatness of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind also is rendered great, and becomes capable of that union with the universe which constitutes its highest good.
In life what we need is not any final answer as in theological teleology, i.e. to please god so as to live towards a final destination of a place in heaven.
Thus whatever the answer arrived at to the OP it must be accompanied by another question.
To understand the meaning of life, it is obvious we have to study life itself, i.e. evolution and our own experience from the external outside to inside the brain.
I note the most effective basic model [abstracted from peak performers] to understand the meaning of life in line with evolution is Maslow's hierarchy of Needs {
MHN}.
When one live [Flow*] progressively along with the MHN optimally one is likely to be in tune with the central core of the purpose of life.
*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)
The MHN can be improved with refined-tuning by incorporating more advance knowledge from various fields.
