Questions of Life, Failures, Truth, and Struggle

 

"The soul has been given its own ears to hear things the mind does not understand."

-- Rumi

What are your top educational goals for 2022?

As I approach 70 years of age, I’d really like to re-read “The Tao of Physics” and slog through Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” and “The Universe In a Nutshell” before I confuse myself with quantum theory, again.

What are some psychological tricks to increase happiness hormones?

S-E-X

Is it possible making your life worth?

Worth what? That was my “first blush” response to an unfinished question. But, then, my response was ridiculous. 

Life is worth what it is - life. There is no more valuable thing to those who cherish living. Those who don’t cherish living, well, that simply sucks. Life is worth living, and those who have life should live it to the fullest... or make room for someone who will.

“Life is fundamentally a mental state. We live in a dream world that we create. Whose life is truer, the rational man of action pursuing practical goals of personal happiness and wealth or the philosophic man who lives in a world of theoretical and metaphysical ideas? We ascribe the value quotient to our lives by making decisions that we score as either valid or invalid based upon our personal ethics and how we think and behave.”

-- Kilroy J. Oldster

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in front of a mirror?

Uh… no.

Why do I sometimes think I am a failure?

Then, you sometimes think you’re not. Welcome to the human race, none of us is perfect. You either fail or you don’t, there is no “think” involved. Failure, for all the negative we define it with, is nothing more than an opportunity to learn. Therefore, if you fail, embrace it for what it is, find out why you failed, learn from it, and try again or be prepared for the next time it comes around. It isn’t the failure that defines us, it is what we do with the failure that matters.

Why do we expect others to do what we would never expect of ourselves?

I expect others to do what their over-energetic "pie hole" says they can do. I expect people, who put themselves out there, to perform. Is that asking too much? Would I expect myself to free-climb a cliff? A big emphatic, NO! I’d like to wake up on this side of the dirt, tomorrow, not embedded three feet into it due to a miscalculation I made 1000 feet up. But, if you say you can do it, put on your big boy diapers and show us what you got. There's nothing like hearing "bravery in the face of stupidity" scream three times on their way down. Dwindling luck meets time-proven proficiency... God bless you for constantly trying.

“My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus."

-- Stephen W. Hawking

Are you happy? Do you wish you were happier? Making others happier is the fastest track to a happy life. If you make choices that put others first, these choices will lead you to a life defined by purpose.

I’m not sure I can be happier than I already am, and I am truly and exceedingly happy in my life. I constantly strive to be so, and very seldom do I fail. And, since failure is simply an opportunity to learn, I am happier than a pig in slop to critique why I went wrong.

Is it possible to have what you want?

Probably, but I can’t even remember her name.

How can a person, who has never struggled before, relate to others who have struggled all their life?

They can’t. It would be like a Catholic priest doing marriage counseling. No point of reference.

“You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”

-- Shaun Hick

Can one's achievements through their life outweigh their character? Or should they be held separate?

Yes, and they should be held separate. I once had an afternoon of discussion, with an interesting fellow, concerning religion, faith, and philosophy. As he got up to leave, I told him not to worry about the tab for the drinks, I’d catch it. He smiled, nodded his head to the water, and asked if I saw the white yacht anchored in the harbor. I nodded as he said, “I’ve got it.” His wealth never came up. He just wanted to be another tourist, having a good conversation over an icy drink, or four. A nice man.

What’s really difficult before it’s easy?

Almost anything, until you get used to it.

Is it true that when you start telling the truth, you simply cannot stop?

Not if you’re in the Intelligence field. We suffer from not being able to stop bending the truth.

“Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it.”

-- Mark Twain

What can someone start learning today that will be useful for the rest of their life?

How to stay out of debt.

Why do people value life like it’s a good thing?

Uh… Because it is? I, myself, am averse to murdering children in the womb without some good medical reason, such as a danger to the mother.

How do I act perfect?

You can’t because there is no example for you to reference.

“I must work harder to achieve my goal of not seeking approval from those whose approval I'm not even sure is important to me.”

-- Lauren Graham

I feel trapped. What should I do?

So, you only feel trapped, you’re not really trapped? Then do nothing. You’re not really trapped.

What does a good life consist of for you?

True happiness!

I made an oath to obey Lucifer. Did I sell my soul?

Ya think?

“People sell their soul in such small quantities - a seemingly trivial compromise here, a rationalization of a minor evil there - that they don't realize what they're doing until it is too late.”

-- Mike Klepper

How can I become a wise man?

Live life and grow old.

How much does LSD alter the decision-making process?

That depends. If you’re at the top of a tall building thinking you can fly, the decision-making process has probably left the roof.

Why do I get embarrassed when I'm with someone?

Where are their hands?

“The young girl inspected her flounces and smoothed her ribbons again; and Winterbourne presently risked an observation upon the beauty of the view. He was ceasing to be embarrassed, for he had begun to perceive that she was not in the least embarrassed herself.”

-- Henry James

How long does it take to be happy with yourself?

As long as it takes you to choose to be truly happy always and in all things. Happiness is nothing more than a choice. Choose to be so, and then remove anything that gets in the way of your happiness.

What truly makes you happy today?

It happens every morning… when I wake up. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day to try, once again, to excel in life.

How do you feel when people stare deep into your face?

I feel the need to stare deeply into theirs… and see who flinches first.

“Many obese people spend a significant amount of their energy on suppressing the urge to tell some of the people who are staring at them that they do not eat as much and as frequently as they seem to.”

-- Mokokoma Mokhonoana

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