Luv2Fall 0 #26 December 4, 2004 QuoteYou know…I’d like to say I’d like to be remembered for my accomplishments and the things that I’ve acquired. As I get older and realize my mortality more and more, however, I find that all those selfish reasons for feeling self-important are all very trivial and unimportant. The only real accomplishment in life is passing love along to your spouse and children (or others). In the end, that will be all that’s left. You can’t take that Porsche and million dollars with you when you go. I’d sure like to take my new Mirage G-4 with me, though. Amen! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,678 #27 December 4, 2004 QuoteQuoteYou know…I’d like to say I’d like to be remembered for my accomplishments and the things that I’ve acquired. As I get older and realize my mortality more and more, however, I find that all those selfish reasons for feeling self-important are all very trivial and unimportant. The only real accomplishment in life is passing love along to your spouse and children (or others). In the end, that will be all that’s left. You can’t take that Porsche and million dollars with you when you go. I’d sure like to take my new Mirage G-4 with me, though. Amen!\ It is said that the young use their money to acquire things. The middle aged use it to buy services. And the old use it to have experiences. I think I've been in the "old" category for about 5 years now..... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hipwrddude 0 #28 December 5, 2004 What’s “The purpose of your life?” That converges with the eternal question, “What is the meaning of life.” In Zen philosophy, there is no separation between life and work. All of it is life. When you think about it, we are “let loose” to pursue our own direction depending on our personal motivations and insecurities. Our worldview and self-perception affects our journey. Our employment and those we meet and love affect the directions we take. At certain points in our life some things are more important then others. Mark Twain wrote, “To be what we are, and to be what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” I think of a prominent psychologist who proposed that IQ was best reflected by financial success. His view was soundly trumped by the establishment which recognized the power of other motivators. IQ is also reflected in creativity, which is perhaps immeasurable. Money isn’t everything, never has been. Consider tragedy. The purpose of life undergoes drastic change then. A life purpose can change. When tragedy or depression or some other serious issue strikes, our world telescopes into that issue. It’s as if suddenly we are drowning in that problem, looking out from that portal. But, unless it affects one personally long-term, such as a physical or mental disability, life goes on. When we come out of it, our view of life can change, often with a new meaning and equipped to handle that situation better (or not.) Perhaps it’s as Abraham Maslow proposed. Maybe our life’s purpose is to achieve “Self Actualization.” Psychologist Terry Bradshaw (Inner Child) once said that married couples are “caretakers of each other’s solitude.” What most don’t realize is that the greatest accomplishment of the 20th century was not technology; it was the elevation of human dignity. In the latter part of the 20th century humanity began to improve child rearing and not transmit violence through beatings; that racial harmony was essential to being a people, that human rights for everyone must be recognized and that self-expression (religion, politics, etc.) must be permitted for us to seek enlightenment and accept differences. Despite those accomplishments, 160 million people were killed in wars in the 20th century--the most violent century of humanity. Maybe our purpose in life can be defined as: to form our identities; to find ourselves; to find love and create love in those we enjoin and those we meet; to be good and promote that which is good and in turn promote harmony in the world. So, what is the purpose my life? I guess it’s really the same as yours and everyone else’s. The purpose my life is … to live it. I guess that’s the greatest reason why we’re born. You're always the starter in your own life! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloudseeker2001 0 #29 December 5, 2004 "Get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames" "Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance, others mean and rueful of the western dream" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
