Guide on how to live life...

[RSK]

Please feel free to add to this thread! I started thinking about what my Grandfather has told me before, and I'd like to share some of his words with you...

...when we enter this world, we do so crying. But when we leave this world, we must leave smiling, and leave everyone else crying.

I think what he was trying to say is, to live a life being kind, and therefore a life with a pure heart. so that when you do leave this world, you will leave everyone behind crying, as they have lost someone who they will always hold in memory.

He also told me, when we enter this world, we do so with Nothing! And when we leave this world, we leave with Nothing also. So all the materialistic things that we take pride in become insignificant, especially when compared to the peoples lives we touch. the only thing we leave on Earth is our memories, which others will cherish, and will live on over generations. so in this way, we never really die, but we live on, in the hearts of others.

[boobaa]

Hmm, sounds like I am ready to leave this world.

Recently I have been feeling the sence of freedom. Living just right in this moment. If I die, I die, if I live, I live. life is only birth, school, work, marriage, kids, being grandparent and being old then suddenly dieing. And guess what, in the sence of death, it doesn't matter! Those achievemnts are just a little bonus for your own ego. Death is death, its a meaningless process, really. Just do whatever.

[lesa]

That's why I prefer my hobbies to my job. If I really do not enjoy the work I do or feel very unsatisfied or expendable then I will quit. If I am dissatisfied in my relationship then I need to do something about it. I want to enjoy life and can't imagine choosing misery.

[doppelgaenger]

What your grandfather was telling you, RSK, is that dying is a part of life, and we need to just accept that... in other words, we're subject to the unwritten rules of nature, until scientists turn humans into a race of on-going cyborgs (or heaven, for those Christian folks)

The funny thing, is that you can make whatever you want out of life with the things you are given. Do just that.

[NeoSeminole]

"the adventure is not in trying to fix a broken boat but rather in sailing uncharted waters with a good boat."

[IndiReloaded]

"the adventure is not in trying to fix a broken boat but rather in sailing uncharted waters with a good boat."

I was going to say something along these lines, but Neo's post says it best. Beautiful quote.

Anyway, I've reached the stage in life where I look for the truly special, beautiful, brilliant things about life. People, places, beautiful works of art, music. Excellent books. Unique ideas. Special people who are truly gifted in what they do. For me, its about appreciating the absolute best that humans can accomplish when they set their minds and energy to it. BTW, this is not some elitist thing for me, I have met wonderful folk taking absolute pride in brewing the most amazing cup of coffee I've ever had (and teaching me all about coffee growing) in a small village in S. America. Its an experience I will never forget.

Anyone who thinks life is so boring that they've 'seen it all' is woefully ignorant of the gift they've been given.

Boobaa, you don't seem to appreciate how unlikely your very existence is. That you would even consider squandering it b/c of some very limited ability to imagine more, esp given that you call yourself an 'artist', I find very sad. You remind me of a spoiled child. There are many in the world who would be very grateful for even the life you so bitterly complain about.

In other words, grow the **** up. If you don't where you are going, change direction.

[Aeradalia]

I don't ask for much from life... all I ever wanted was happiness and love. The ever elusive and apparently briefly existing thing called happiness. The great mystery and often disputed as a myth known as love.

The rest of life somehow seems meaningless without happiness and love. Pain lacks contrast and definition... accomplishments hold no sense of triumph... and life in general lacks motivation.

[doppelgaenger]

Boobaa, you don't seem to appreciate how unlikely your very existence is. That you would even consider squandering it b/c of some very limited ability to imagine more, esp given that you call yourself an 'artist', I find very sad. You remind me of a spoiled child. There are many in the world who would be very grateful for even the life you so bitterly complain about.

In other words, grow the **** up. If you don't where you are going, change direction.

What if Boobaa did it just to see how people would react on here? At least that's why I always thought he did it.

Then again, I am probably even crazier than him.

[IndiReloaded]

Perhaps Boobaa is just looking for a reaction. But I think there are lots of young ppl who seem awfully jaded about this subject. Sign of our times, and a TV-deadened culture, perhaps. Adult-children who think that Hollywood and HBO can replace direct experience (it doesn't). I can think of at least a couple other posters here to whom this topic might apply, tho I won't name anyone specific. With any luck, they will somehow find this thread.

Perhaps, sometime, RK will post his experiences about where he is. I'm sure his experiences are very interesting & relevant to the topic.

[doppelgaenger]

For me, its about appreciating the absolute best that humans can accomplish when they set their minds and energy to it.

I guess for me it's that, and finding an inspiration to do the things I do. It's all rooted back to my significance as a living human being. I'm always questioning why I live, and the nature of things. Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me and I am overwhelmed by the dynamism in everything. It's like the world is a room, and our senses are limited to the inside of this one box. There are so many things happening around us and we can't even sense them. I seem to get stuck in perplexities like, if we are limited by senses, then to be unlimited in capability is to have no senses at all. And, if we are limited by our senses, then the truth is hidden from us. But there is that Eastern view, that truth is fluid like water, which could be true. And if the truth cannot be perceived in nature, then is it the truth at all?

Doh!

[IndiReloaded]

You need to travel more, Dopple. I know you've done some, but Germany isn't the third world. Its a pity that many artists never become financially stable enough to do this, I think it adds to the quality of their work.

Consider, hun, supplementing your studies with things that will allow you to do this. Things that will make you valuable as a teacher? Art & language are teachables. Perhaps something else, like biology?

[doppelgaenger]

Yeah I want to get to the third world. I've heard so many stories from old war medics and church missionaries, to refugees and foreign exchange students. There's only so many things I can do Indi. I'm in love with a girl from a small European nation that's much different from where I'm from. It's hell just trying to make that work out. I'll probably end up living there (though that might limit me in resources and money) Believe it or not, I actually want to, and I will probably have to, in order to make it happen.

German seems to be just a start for me.Studying it was not a challenge for me. I've been studying Germanic etymology, Danish, Dutch, and trying to learn Russian/Serbo-Croatian in my free time. For the record I once taught myself Hiragana/Katakana alphabets, but I've forgotten them. What I really want to do is study etymology and literature of every language.

Oh yes, I would love to study Biology (And Earth Science) I would study every subject offered at the college level if I was offered. The problem is that I need to graduate and pay off all my loans so I can get the **** out of the US. If only education was free. I'm lucky I can even study at college with the shitty college funds I am living off of (I only get 1 meal a day)

The other shitty thing, is the amount of bullshit work I would have to do for the science classes. I managed to barely even pass Earth Science (haha, go ahead and laugh) because I didn't have time for the bullshit quizzes or Lab homework. So I guessed on all that. I wouldn't have passed if I didn't do well on the tests (the final grade was about half and half). It's very hard to get by with my schedule. Somehow I managed to get at least 3-4 hours of sleep per night this last semester. But I could still tell you about framework silicates, the different kinds of loams and everything. That stuff sticks with me.

[Aeradalia]

I feel like my aspirations for life at this moment are very one-dimensional... I do have career goals and other curiosities about life.... I guess I want to have something other than pain and negativity in life --- I've had my fill of that, and then some. Perhaps when I find a way of sustaining happiness or at least have it become more frequent... I can gain in confidence and pursue other curiosities of life.

[IndiReloaded]

Well, to that I can only say: work your ass off for what you want. At least in our culture we are blessed in that ppl who are healthy, intelligent & not afraid of hard work ARE rewarded. I don't know a single person who this wasn't the case for, and I know some ppl who had to overcome some really awful starting conditions. Its not an easy system, perhaps, but its a fair one.

[doppelgaenger]

Oof yes. Do me a favor. Every time I come on here, tell me to get back to work!