NOTHING IN LIFE STAYS THE SAME

* Life is like that sine curve.

* You have peaks where you feel happy, healthy, successful, victorious, blessed, etc, etc

* And then you have troughs where you experience tragedy, disaster, chaos, hardships, mis-fortune, etc, etc

* Look at that sine curve again---nothing in life stays the same---troughs lead to peaks---and peaks lead to troughs.

Rev

Life will always throw us a curve ball---it will shock us.

* But always remember---When things are bad---and you feel like there is no light at the head of the tunnel---you are full of despair and sadness---remember those words---repeat them---they will help pacify you during your most trying moments.

Rev

Rev, it looks like we think alike in some areas.

NOTHING IN LIFE STAYS THE SAME and this too, shall pass 

These are thoughts I express often. I find, however, that when we are in the troughs of life, these words might not have a profound impact. It's when we look back upon the trials that we realize that we can move on and that we did move on. 

Miraver:

* Calm and serene minds harbor promising, reassuring and hopeful thoughts.

* You are 100% correct in your observation that in our moments of darkness and despair we find it difficult to comprehend the wisdom and profundity of "THIS TOO, SHALL PASS."

* In the past whenever I have experienced a loss I have allowed myself the time to grieve and be sad.

* But we must never hold on to grief, sorrow and heartaches.

* To help us move on from those emotions---this is where the inspiring words, THIS TOO, SHALL PASS---come in useful.

Rev

PS. Nice seeing you around Mira---the Rev has been away from GNI for nearly 6 months----I saw the sad news about Chami's husband and decided to show up and pay my respect.

By Rev: 

 In the past whenever I have experienced a loss I have allowed myself the time to grieve and be sad.

Rev, these key words "I have allowed myself the time to grieve and be sad".

Time is a great healer. Time is a great equalizer. 

By Rev:

PS. Nice seeing you around Mira---the Rev has been away from GNI for nearly 6 months----I saw the sad news about Chami's husband and decided to show up and pay my respect.

Senor Rev, it's nice to see that you came on board to post. I suppose your six months away from GNI was "not posting time" and not necessarily a half a year abstinence.  

Khalil Gibran: On Sorrow and Joy

Then a woman said,

“Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.”

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/colum...o.html#ixzz38PNKDPhS

Mira:

* I read this statement years ago.

* LIFE IS SHORT and YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.

* That kind of resonated with me.

* We all dream of doing things---going places---travelling the world---adventuring---but we never find the time to do what we want to do---there is always an excuse---then we die.

* So for years now---I have been taking time off and doing the things I dream off----like TRAVELLING to places I have only read about.

* Earlier this year I took off---came back at the end of May----and I'm already planning for next year---will take a few months off and go on a new adventure.

* LIFE IS SHORT and YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.

* That's my mantra.

* We never know when our time will be up.

Rev

Ok Folks!

* We've all heard this:

* EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

* Well, a lot of times when things happen to you, don't you just wish you knew what that reason was ?

* Our dear chami just lost her husband.

* Try telling chami---"EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON."

* Right now chami is grieving---but in time she'll want to know about the REASON why she lost her kind and loving husband at such a young age.

* You never know---REASON tends to show up down the road----not right away.

* You folks have any thoughts on this REASON business ?

Rev

I am responding to this because it is a classical fallacy and a matter of academic concern. Attributing human attributes to inanimate nature is simply a feelgood saying. Events are often random happenstance and bare no relation to the human looking at it. It is independent and often bears on no human relationship and reducible to mere happenstance.

Humans are driven to explanations and in instances where tragedies or unspeakable cruelty arises from no apparent reason, they infer some non associated connection as the reason because it offers easy solace. Hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, crazy people intervening on our lives and causing harm has no rational explanation and to say there is a reason behind them specific to us is illogical.
 

Danyael:

* I had to read your post twice to understand your view point.

* YOU MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.

* The way I see it---LIFE IS LIFE---things come in pairs---for example----good things happen in life---like BIRTH---and bad things happen in life---like DEATH.

* That is just the way it is.

* As humans when good things happen we never say---EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

* It's only when bad things happen---or things we don't like----that's when we say---EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

BOTTOM LINE:

* When we find ourselves saying "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON"---it's our way of consoling or comforting or soothing or pacifying ourselves into accepting an outcome or event we find hurtful---painful---not to our liking.

* I think that's what you were saying right Danyael ?

Rev

YOLO! YOLO! YOLO!

Rev, I am happy for you. You've got to share some travel stories with us

I believe that travels improve/increase our overall education. We get to add an abundance of knowledge to our "cultural portfolios"

I wouldn't mind the travel but I hate taking my shoes off at the airport. Having to put my personal things in a tray that just had someone's shoes which they may have stepped in pee with is not a comforting feeling. Reagan national Airport has small plastic bags but not large for everything but good enough for things like keys, wallets and watches/jewelry. I am also not comfortable with the condition of hotels no matter what star they have. So I do a lot of road trips and take my own beddings to use at the hotels.

Thanks to my esteem brothers who have now made it compulsory to take off my shoe at the airport.

Oh dear me, I'll never look at those airport trays with the same eyes! Gosh, those trays might be as bad as dollar bills 

Now you have me thinking of Monk with your comments, especially "own beddings"

Gurl, I got real issues.

Like your dollar bill comment though.

Chami:

* That's a very thoughtful post above. I like your thinking, your attitude and your frame of mind.

RE: THIS TOO SHALL PASS

* You said you don't believe in "This Too Shall Pass."

READ THIS---another way of looking at 'This Too Shall Pass'

"Just because today is a terrible day doesn't mean tomorrow won't be the best day of your life. You just gotta get there."

* We have all lost loved ones---but that intense hurt, that distress,  that pain, that agony we feel when a loved one departs doesn't remain with us forever.

* Like Miraver mentioned---"Time is a great healer--a great equalizer"---it soothes all pain and suffering.

* The deep hurt and agony you felt when your beloved brother departed---even though you still miss him today---you don't feel that deep hurt and agony you felt initially.

BOTTOM LINE:

* Death, pain, suffering, troubles, hardships---they are all an inevitable part of life---and "This too shall pass"---they are just comforting words.

Rev

JOHN LENNON, PRINCESS DIANA AND ROBIN WILLIAMS

* People die everyday, but over the past 30 years, the deaths of those 3 folks shocked the world the most.

* Lennon was only 40 when he was shot; Diana was only 36; and Williams just 63.

* Their deaths came out of the blues.

BOTTOM LINE:

* Humans put a value on people who entertain them or make them feel good---and Lennon, Diana and Robin Williams were the elites----they impacted people's lives in a positive way. The deaths of those 3 shocked the world the most.

* Can you folks think of any other death since 1980 that was as shocking to the world as Lennon, Diana and Robin Williams ?

* Mandela was old(95)---his death saddened millions but wasn't shocking.

* Oh well! LIFE GOES ON.---3 simple words but true.

Rev

* Michael died young--he was only 50. But even though he was an extraordinary entertainer, the world did not react to his sudden death and mourned his untimely passing with the same respect, adoration and reverence as it did to the deaths of Lennon, Diana and Robin Williams.

Rev