In Summation

There is, ultimately, nothing.

Life's Length

All we ever have is an instant.

OM MANI PADME HUM

Here is an explanation of the what is probably the most recognizable Mantra to Westerners.

Nature and Thought

People don't change, but our thoughts about them do.

Carrying the load

Sometimes it's hard to let go of the the past, but it's even harder to carry.

Psalm 30:5(b)

Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

The Biggest Chance

Life is fragile, and death is a certainty. We weigh our options, and take chances. Refusing to take chances means fewer aches, pains, and breaks in the short term. But living this way is really just slow death. If we take no chances, we gain no rewards, and this is much greater tragedy than risking an untimely death.

Pose

Don't hate the beautiful.

Special, I'm Special

My hostess is cooking corn bread and home fries with our dinner. Just because I like them. In the immensity of existence, perhaps it's silly that I feel so delighted, so loved and pampered at that.

But I do. And I'm thankful.

Crunch

"I killed a critter", Rob announced. He seemed somewhat proud of himself.

Oh, yeah? A mouse? A roach? I inquired.

"It was a little salamander thing."

My heart sank. That was a gecko. I tried not to clench my teeth. They eat bugs. They're good.

He said that its movement had scared him. Silly, ignorant people.

We're all ignorant of something, and react destructively in fear. True mastery of life can only come by overcoming fear.

A Stark Truth

For some, regret comes an instant too late.

Glimmer

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness- Eleanor Roosevelt.

Walking

If I go far enough, maybe I'll end somewhere I want to be.




If I walk aimlessly, how can I expect to go anyplace I'd want?

On the Nature of Humanity

People can change, but they usually don't.

Lavatory

Every Little Thing Counts.

Alcohol

There is not enough alcohol in the world to relieve the pain of living. Seeking refuge in it cannot then be the answer.

Desperate Times

If you still can find the funds for diet soda and cigarettes, and are still morbidly obese despite not having had a job for months, you haven't hit desperate yet.

The Numbers of Infinity

While watching “Bones” this evening, I heard a quote from the title character. She said, “There is no singular event...infinity goes in both directions.” The first part of that statement is true*. The second should instead be “Infinity goes in all directions.”




*Actually, it's more true to say that every event is singular: it's the type of event that will reoccur.

Life, Worth Living

This is about the fullness of existence. There are many things in life and the universe. They seem good or bad, but that is only our perception. Reality is, and we, or our genetic and cultural programming, choose how to view it.

Regardless, we are "inside our eyes". We are individually responsible for living the life we want to have. I have failed at this. I have made small, hesitant steps. I have done some things others in my family and friends have not dared to do, but I have not gone far enough. I have not been brave enough, true enough to myself. This changes now.

Thoreau said "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." I will go to the grave, as we all will. But I will make the most of that time. Don't expect a lot of philosophical whining here, as I have found that it is too easy to substitute talk for life. Just expect life, with the pedal held to the floor.