Questioning Definitions?

 

“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”

-- Buddha

What is the difference between ‘struggles’ and ‘hardships’?

If you look at the definitions, a struggle is to “make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction.” A hardship, on the other hand, is “severe suffering or privation.”  Oh, and by the way, it's called a dictionary.  Everyone should learn to use it.

When did you feel that society became brighter?

It did? When? The President doesn’t even know what city he’s in most of the time. Brighter? That’s rich.

Does the best-qualified person always deserve to get the job? Why? What exceptions to this general principle can you think of, if any?

They deserve to get it. Whether they do or not is up to the person hiring. A preferential hiring policy would be an exception, of course, the business probably won’t do well for long with this policy so you’d be better off elsewhere anyway. Other exceptions would be the need to fill minority, gender, and handicap positions. Not fair, but… life sucks.

“You cannot have qualifications without experience; and you cannot have experience without personal interest and bias. That may not be an ideal arrangement; but it is the way the world is built and we must make the best of it.”

-- George Bernard Shaw

Why do many people play the blame game when they really know the truth of the root cause?

It is so much easier for people to shift the blame than to own it, or to ensure the guilty get hammered so they might get promoted. Either way, the best thing to do is immediately own the blame and get down to repairing the damage. For one, it shows maturity. For another, the people playing the “blame game” are out, for all to see, including management. It sucks getting reprimanded for being an ass.

Is it possible to be stoic at all times?

It is probably possible, but I’d think it would take massive concentration. Better to give it up and just strive to be happy always. Less work. 

What is left to do after one has succeeded?

Relax, or succeed at something else. My aunt earned three degrees, started a medical practice that morphed into an Institutional Review Board (IRB), which morphed into an international group for IRB training and development, and started a conservancy for animals and greenspace. She was world-renowned before she passed, and her conservancy foundation lives on.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

-- Winston S. Churchill

What is our aim of toiling every day in this life?

Life is a constant classroom, teaching us what we need to move forward in our infinite existence. Perhaps the aim is for us to learned to be constantly happy regardless of our circumstances.

Reader comment: I agree happiness is key, it is our design to be, alas though, for too many easier said than done to achieve. My daughter is an infant sexual abuse victim, she lives a miserable life because of, how can I be happy knowing she is so sad, and always will be? It breaks my heart, so unfair, if only her abuser knew what misery he was going to cause before he abused her, maybe he wouldn’t have, but then again.

My reply: It is a choice you both must make in order to move forward. One bad act and two victims. What happened was horrible, difficult to put behind, yet necessary for any happiness. Or, you will continue to wallow in the misery caused. Is it better to move forward or stay in the memory? Don’t let the bastard win. Are you both in counseling or support groups? If not, I’d recommend it.

Why do people say life isn't life until you have lived it?

To the extreme, if you commit suicide, is it life? You have to live to be alive, so live life as hard as you can so you can be as alive as you can, for as long as you can. If you simply sit at home you really aren’t making the most of the life you’ve been gifted. You live and die with very little in between. This isn’t much of a life.

What are the grand procedures to reach one’s potential?

There are “grand procedures”? News to me, and I’ve retired three times. I thought I’d reached my “potential” with military intelligence, and maybe I did. But, I still did another 17-year career helping to build up a world-renowned Institutional Review Board (IRB) before I retired to Mexico. I was called back from Mexico to assist my IRB boss in upgrading a golf and country club. Now, I’m finally retired for good? Who knows? The minute you reach your potential you’ll find there is more potential to reach. The “grand procedure” is within you. It is your tenacity and perseverance to keep reaching forward and growing. When I die, I hope to find more potential in my next life. 

“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

How can you create your own new path in life?

The first thing I’d recommend is answering a few questions. Why do you need a new path? This will define what the problem is with the old path. Where is the new path going? This will define the goal, what you seek. What obstacles can you expect? This will help you plan the route. Now, with minor deviations, you might be ready to create a plan to get you there. Or, just make the conscious decision to change and just follow where that path “less traveled” takes you.

My path took several detours. Now that I’m retired, my path is set and I’m very happy to simply follow where the path eventually takes me. We must always remember as we walk our path, it isn’t about the destination, it’s all about the journey. Strive to be happy always.

When I was younger, things were very very simpler, and instantly they became too complicated. It feels like becoming free and independent is actually becoming a slave of my life. How do I deal with so many variables at once?

We complicate our lives by the choices and decisions we make or allow others to make for us. First of all, control your own life. Make your own choices and decisions.

Second, get rid of all the drama you’ve let in. If the job sucks, change it. If the girlfriend isn’t supportive, find a new one. The same goes for family and friends. Debt can drag one down, so get rid of the drama of debt. It really isn’t what's in your wallet, it's who is in your wallet. Who do you belong to? Whose “bitch” are you?

Basically, take back your life. When you reduce the variables, life becomes more rewarding and happier.

What lessons did you learn from early investment mistakes?

Do your own due diligence, and know the sector you’re investing in. You can’t blame others for losing the money you gave to them. My dad taught me to make and lose my own money. After a rocky start, I now make much more than I lose.

“Failure doesn't define you. It's what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.”

-- Sabaa Tahir 

And... the short answers:

Why do young people decide they have nothing to live for?

They haven’t been taught that life is enough.

Who does not fit in life is doomed to perennial dissatisfaction?

Makes sense.

What do you believe is necessary to be successful?

If you aren’t truly happy, how can you be successful?

What are your top 5 simple ways to be kind?

Tolerance, understanding, kindness, respect, and courtesy.

In all ways, people coming together for the right reasons, is really what is desired at the heart of every argument, celebration, or success. So, it is then that the people in one's life are always the most important above material?

Almost everything is.

When was a moment that an enemy truly crossed a line?

That would be when he touched me.

Is a mistake still a mistake if it made you better?

Why are you still calling it a mistake?

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”

-- Paulo Coelho

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com