A Question of Acceptance

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” 

-- Dalai Lama

What is it that you love about life that makes you accept other things about life?

Waking up every morning! Each day is another gift from God and another chance for us to excel in this life. To waste it, or to not appreciate aspects of it, is a choice each of us must make for ourselves. For me, to not make the most of each gift, each day, would be an insult to the Giver. If I don’t like something it is my choice to turn away or to change it. I suppose one might say that it isn’t about accepting “things” in life as much as it is accepting the choice I make to be happy, regardless.

What is more important, money or health?

Health. If health isn’t good you’ll be spending your money on that instead of enjoying the money and a good life. Neither of these, however, is as important as being happy always. Money just can’t buy real happiness, even though it can buy you relatively good health. But, if you aren’t healthy enough to make the money, what’s the point?

Can you tell me something you have learned and you want all the world to know?

More than anything else in life, concentrate your efforts on being happy always.

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”

-- Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), The Garden of Eden

An imprisoned person inside a building desires most to be free to go out of the building. A person outside of a building located in a city desires most to go out of the city. What is it that a person desires most in his life?

Freedom to choose their circumstance.

How long does it take to unlove someone?

If you truly loved them, never. Your love might change, and you may not even like the person anymore, but you will always love them. I learned to hate one person in my entire life, my ex-wife, but through all my hate I never stopped loving her. This is a concept she certainly doesn’t understand. With help, I have learned to forgive her, and myself. I have chosen to accept the apology I will never receive. This is love.

Could true love overcome betrayal too?

I just answered a question about how long it takes to “unlove” someone. I think most of the answer applies. If you truly loved them, yes betrayal can be overcome. Your love might change, and you may not even like the person anymore, but you will always love them. Betrayal has many faces, and I learned to hate one person in my entire life, my ex-wife, for her betrayals. But, through all my hate, I never stopped loving her. This is a concept she certainly doesn’t understand. With help, I have learned to forgive her, and myself. I have chosen to accept the apology I will never receive. This is love, however, not trust.

“Love is not an equation, it is not a contract, and it is not a happy ending. Love is the slate under the chalk, the ground that buildings rise, and the oxygen in the air. It is the place you come back to, no matter where you're headed”

-- Jodi Picoult, author

What advice should every teacher give to every parent?

Remind them that the children are theirs, the parents, and the responsibility for their education is theirs as well. Teachers, those who care, actually do teach, but it is up to parents to ensure the students learn. This is parenting and, yes, it is a concept.

Why do I have nothing to do? Nothing comes to my mind. I don’t do anything all day for years now. I am 24 years old.

“The Major League Baseball rulebook states that bases must be white, 15 by 15 inches, covered in canvas or rubber, 3 to 5 inches tall, filled with soft material and attached to the ground. Bases are a few inches tall around the perimeter and domes slightly to a maximum height.” — What Are Baseball Bases Made Of?

So, basically, you’re “first base.” You do absolutely nothing. You just lie there waiting to be trodden upon. Yes? I find this hard to believe. Realistically, the bases in baseball have a purpose, as do rocks and water. Even inanimate objects have use and purpose.

Something obviously came to your mind for you to consider asking this question. Do yourself a favor and go outside into God’s cathedral and experience life, or realized that by experiencing your life you are doing something with your life. You are 24 years old and have many years of experiencing life ahead of you. Get off your ass and take the first step. 

With what state of mind do you choose to face the beginning of the day, in the era of Covid-19?

I wake up every morning thanking God for this gift of another glorious day in paradise and another chance to excel in life. The fact that we have visited this virus upon ourselves is evidence of many questionable government agendas that infect our world. It is also a test of our faith, our spirituality, our hope, and our ability to remain happy always.

“I want to live my life in such a way that when I get out of bed in the morning, the devil says, "Aw shit, he's up!”

-- Steve Maraboli, author, speaker, commentator

What's that passion that we all chase throughout our lives?

Happiness!

Life isn’t for me. I always make mistakes that are impossible to forget. Everybody is happy but I always live with guilt and regret. Why do I always make mistakes? Why doesn’t "life" like me?`

Probably because you don’t understand life. We have been sold on what life is supposed to be about, but that isn’t necessarily true. Life is about learning lessons so we might move forward into our next existence. If we have some fun and relationships along the way, so much the better. But, we have to keep our eyes on the prize - what comes next.

We make mistakes because failure and mistakes are how we best learn lessons; it’s how we’re wired. We look upon failure as a negative when, in reality, we’d rather have people working for us who have failed and learned than never failed before. These folks now know how to avoid failure, or at least mitigate it.

Having said this, you should never forget your failures because this is how we prevent repeating them. It is part of learning. What has happened, however, is now in the past. What you do now is more important, because what you do now affects the future. Remember what happened as a lesson you learned, but don’t ever regret learning or be guilty about it, and don’t ever let anybody make you feel that way, either.

It isn’t that life doesn't like you, it's that you simply don’t understand life and your place in it. Learn the hard lessons put before you and, most importantly, learn to be happy always.

Why should you never ask “why”?

You should always ask why. Why is, for all intent and purposes, the most important question in life. The only time I can think of when “why” might be inappropriate would be in a battle situation when orders must be followed or people die, and even then if you know something the leaders don’t, “why” should be substituted for what you know that might be better in saving lives or winning.

Why do great leaders inspire action?

Leading by example, and having great communication skills.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” 

-- John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), statesman, diplomat, lawyer

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as a chaplain at the regional medical center.