This is it...

[luvspeas]

You only live once. I am only now beginning to grasp this notion. There is something freeing about it. I don't have kids so I don't really have to do much for the next generation if I don't want to-but I do want to. I have no god, none that I can put a name to any way so I don't have many moral rules to adhere to beyond self-preservation. I do believe in the power of love. That power is something I don't fully understand nor do I feel I am equipped to. Like the way my dog stares at me thinking I must know what she is thinking because she knows I am quite magical and can open the refrigerator door at precisely the right time every day.

So what? Well, how do we all take this time here and now and make it better for those who follow us-or is it even worth trying? And when you think about how much effort people put into controlling others for the sake of power and money, why is this of any importance when we will all (by all I mean anyone reading this) be dead in another 60 years tops. Mostly, I just wish we could all appreciate how little time we really have here and make the most of it. I also think that when an individual does that it makes it easier for them to see how important it is to help the people around them have the best experience possible too. Piling up money becomes a waste of time.

Policing without empathy would not exist.

[closeupready]

1. When your friends start passing away, also, your perspective on things changes.

What kind of legacy did they leave? What kind of legacy do you want to leave?

I don't have children, but I do have nieces I want to remember me, just as I remember aunts and uncles who loved and nurtured me.

Thanks for the post. K&R

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Life is way to short.

And you can not take all those Toys and Money with you when you go. Remember this,what is next after you die? Has anyone answered that question? Someone will say yes and give you some Religious diatribe,and I say BullCrap.

[luvspeas]

3. I agree...

No matter how much I want to believe my dear friends family and pets are still out there somewhere, there is nothing in this world so far that definitively proves it. Also, there is nothing that proves we will all be together again. In fact, according to religiousity, I will never see my mother AND I will surely be burning in the firey pits of hell for eternity simply because I don't believe. Well f-them. I believe a lot. I believe that people who let others suffer for any reason are assholes. I wish my government used more, if not all, of my taxpayer dollars to give to people with less than me. I am so angry that so many people are treated badly because of the color of their skin. People who deliberately make other people's experience on earth miserable should be stripped of all power. Policing should be done with empathy not militaristic authority.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Each and every morning,we tell each other we love them

and that is what is more important than any POS Religion. Like you,I and my Spouse of fifty five years,will be on Furnace duty,mentioned that the other day,and her reply was,you get the big shovel cause you were more evil than me. Okay,but do believe in Karma and do thing she is female.

[luvspeas]

7. I've been thinking a lot about love as a universal force...

This is a bit odd for me because I am generally an "angry" woman. I don't forgive and I believe in justice. But recently I was having some troubles and a friend of mine "sent me love everyday". It made a difference in me. First off, when people say "pray for me", I never knew what to do but say "I'm sending you good thoughts", which sounds...meh. But if you start to think about love as a universal force that runs through everything and we are just pushing it around-to me that works. When I started letting go of putting a judgement on it and just worked on pushing it toward things I thought needed it, I find myself pushing toward not only people I like, but also people who are just plain bad. Maybe even a bit more to them. Also I go under the assumption that if you give love to anything you give love to everything. So when I push love to those who need it, it gives it to everybody who needs it. I grew up with a very religious mother and she prayed a lot and believed in prayer. I do too but I don't believe in a deity. At least I believe that any deity worth their salt doesn't give 2 shits if we believe in them or not. My aunt, who was also x-ian once told me that she prays for me everyday. I was very suspicious about what she prayed for me to do or have happen. So I try very hard to just imagine love and send it off without qualifiers. Then I don't have to worry about who I think deserves it or not. That's why I have always hated the idea of blessing. I don't think any one deserves to be blessed more than anyone else and just because someone prayed for it, that does not mean it should be so. So if you just spread love around like a big river of energy it gets to everybody who needs it. OK, time to lock me up.

[Wellstone ruled]

9. Life will throw some curve balls from time to time.

As a young person,and a very dysfunctional family,many of the same issues arose. Learned early on,acquaintances were the key,and some would and could trip personal anger. In saying that,just do not have time for that crap anymore. Learned one thing from a Eighty year old Granny who was a neighbor. All you truly need is one honest friend whether they be male or female,the rest are just acquaintances. I am so lucky to have two,my Spouse and my Boyhood Bud of seventy plus years. I is all about TRUST. Life is just to damn short for all the drama.

[Iggo]

5. "This is it." <---- Truth.

[Brickbat]

6. Understanding that everone dies is one of the most freeing, compassionate thoughts I've ever had.

It changes everything. I sometimes think that if we grew up with a better understanding of how death is unavoidable, this world would be a lot different.

[luvspeas]

8. imagine no religion...

It tells us that we won't die if we work for the man. Also, we will be rewarded if we suffer. What a bunch of shit.