Thought

'I measure myself by the stirrings of an unladen heart,

and others by the reflections found therein.'

'Each of you was born with three keys to the doors of your journey.

The first is for your dreams; it makes the impossible possible.

The second is for your faith; it tells you to believe in youth.

And above all the third is for love; the instinct to respect each other.

Dreams, faith, and love. With these three, anything is possible.

It is your journey, but it is our destination.'

- S. Roberts and P. Wagg

Journey of Man

'No man, nor any living thing in this world, preserves their life forever. But only to men is it given to know that we must die, and that is a precious gift. This life that is both our torment and our treasure was never meant to endure for eternity. Life is a wave on the sea. Would you force the sea to grow still to save one wave?'

- Ursula K. LeGuin

Tales from EarthSea

Yaarab

Yaarab

You just don't stop with this end of the world nonsense do you? I wouldn't care but it actually seems to bother you, like the world is going to blow up in three years or so and you think that somehow your 'knowing about it' would make that easier. Stop trying to convince me with your conspiracy theories and scientific facts, because those facts aren't from reputable sources, and those theories are exactly that and nothing more, because there can be no proof beyond reasonable doubt of any of these occurrences. You're not a scientist, nor do you have the basic know-how to be able to decipher the bullshit from the rest of it. Neither do I, but I do have the good sense not be drawn into a state where I need to constantly worry about the end of the world coming and not how I'm going to plan for my future.

You mentioned that I should find faith, because if the world ends faith is the only thing thats going to save me. I think if the world ends, depending on circumstances, the only thing thats going to save me is either extensive preparation (non-applicable in this case) or sheer luck. I can rely on neither. Nor do I believe faith would save me, at least not in the sense you mean. What do you hope to accomplish in the next life you can't accomplish here and now? finding peace? find peace today, find peace tomorrow. Worst case scenario you find peace and the world ends. well, at least you found peace. Best case you find peace and the world doesn't end. You still found peace. Why not just try and find peace and deal with the rest when you get there? The question is, how do we find peace.

You told me, in no uncertain terms, that to find peace I need to find my faith in God. I don't know that I believe in God the way I 'ought to'. I don't have that faith; I don't turn to Him in times of dire need. Thats not my way, for why would I turn to someone I'm not entirely certain exists? Seems ludicrous. The way I think of it, my belief should have nothing to do with the judgement which some people say awaits my soul after death. Any God I can imagine existing wouldn't begrudge me a healthy amount of skepticism. In fact, He should be proud of the fact that I'm being cautious about the treatment and care of my immortal soul. We must always question, only then will we know answers.

Anyways I'm tired, I'm going to bed.

gnite

Given

It is important for us to find some small measure of satisfaction in the acts that we undertake. Having our eyes opened to the lives we have created and been thrust equally into garbed only in humanity and trust we must look for strength and enduring faith within ourselves. It does not fall to us to be faithful, only for that sake. But we must always be faithful to ourselves. Though the stronger oppose us and the more dominant beat at our hearts there is always that aura which cannot be quelled; that fire which cannot be quenched; it behoves us to act with the inner pride of purpose and clarity of vision which earmarks all the greatest undertakers of the greatest human acts. Kindness, charity, discretion, devotion, faithfulness, perseverence, sacrifice, appreciation, etc. The greatest gifts we have to give contain within them the strength another requires to succeed. Not just to survive, but to thrive. In every understanding we learn about ourselves, and our capacity to give and to love expands. We give a great many gifts, yet I enumerate the gifts within which I find greatest importance. Communication. Compassion. Willingness to learn. Acceptance. Hope. Optimism. Understanding. Contentment. Unconditional Love. These are the gifts which I have given and which I hope were well received. Received in the spirit in which they were given. It's not a matter of reciprocation, or even of the ability to offer thanks. Even offering inclusivity to the chance that these gifts were never meant to be given, and that they may in fact not all be viewed as gifts, it falls to me to pass along what my eager understanding seems to have discerned. That there is no denying what has already occurred, and that no gift once given ought be returned, know only that I mean every word I say, no matter how unlikely it may seem, and that I would never cast stone against you. At times for me you are the glass house, and I would not have you shattered. After this short time, I ask something of you, in faith, that you will honour this. Though hardships you have endured and day by day your heart mourns and a pressure builds within and all around you, please, please, find heart in the lessons of your life. let me take your burdens and shoulder them , to carry them should you ever have need to move lightly. Let my calm comfort you in times of great stress. Forgive whatever failings you or I possess. All deeds save one, save that one choice which is to remove yourself from choice, all deeds save that will be and have been forgiven. It is the only promise I ask of you. Don't give up. There is so much more left to learn. Live and learn. Learn to live.

So Long, Mal

Sighing a sigh I come to realize and not for the first time what simple joys life offers to me. There are times when I take myself too seriously, or use time not to its fullest advantage.

I don't regret those times.

I like the times that reveal themselves to me through my own self satisfied grin. when i get that tingling in my heart where I feel just like a baby, and a father. by the time I die I will have been both, if my dreams are worth anything at all. Theres so much I want to pass on to a child. So much I can find with them. So much I could give them.

I would be a good father.

this is one of those too rare moments of fulfilment. I look back upon the recent events of my life and I smile. Just...smile....because at the end of it all there was so much there.

and theres so much time for me. Some of us have been given a by, im sorry they are going, have gone; they will be missed. Lets do great things with them in mind.