The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything: Love, Change, Death
Posted: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
by Jeff Brown
Inner Projection
Well, why are we here? Good question. Logically, considering the eons that occur before and after the fleeting life we live, it can not be for anything that stays here that is of no consequence: political or social positioning, acquisition of material items, money, degrees and status and so on. It must be that which will last and affect us now and forever. And those things pertain to love. Love lasts. All things self-serving fade and are of no merit.
The material, power, prestige, social ranking, empires built economical and political are fleeting, temporary, and of no eternal merit. When this world passes away, all these things will be gone. However, what is universal, lasting, forever? These things that one will take with them through the narrow portal that only the spirit can pass, those things light in weight and of the Light: compassion, kindness, hope, laughter, joy, giving, sacrifice, preference for the other and so on.
Mother Teresa said that the reason we are here is to love and be loved that no one on their death bed will be thinking of their material possessions, money, empire, or putting in more time at the office.
The Hindu states that the self is too small for perpetual interest, a focus here cutting off life for the spirit desires eternal progress and joy. However, the Hindu believes that selfishness is not unnecessary that selfishness is like toys along the path of life. A child without toys is sad; however, sadder still is an adult fixated at this same level. Progression or growth stifled is the beggar for death. And love's encasement the greatest educator of all.
Love is eternal. Love is sacrosanct. Love thrives in the face of horror. Love is light and love is light. Love is the soul. Love heals. Love is education. Love expands. Love is our work and reason for being. Love cheats time. Love never fails. Love pushes away fear, anger, hate, hopelessness, dependency, selfishness, ignorance, anxiety and brings on hope, happiness, even eternal joy.
"What will survive of us is love."-- Philip Larkin
"Attention is the most basic form of love; through it we bless and are blessed."-- John Tarrant
"Love is the beauty of the soul."-- St. Augustine
"Love stretches your heart and makes you big inside."-- Margaret Walker
"Love cures people -- both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it."-- Dr. Karl Menninger
"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone--we find it with another."-- Thomas Merton
"Love is an irresistable desire to be irresistably desired."-- Robert Frost
"Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others and the delight in the recognition."-- Alexander Smith
"Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age."-- Anais Nin
"The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer."-- Oliver Wendell Holmes
"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."-- Antoine de Saint-Exupry
And this leads to the second concept of change.
Without change we are dead. Life or the act of living, the dynamic, the quickening is essential to our existence. For those who remain without purpose or a reaching outside of one's comfort, growth is stifled quickening death.
"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn ... and change."--Carl Rogers
"Truly every new idea is a violation of some older idea; as the awakening of tomorrow is a violation of today's slumber. As long as man continues to evolve, in other words, to separate himself from chaos, and to express himself in a higher form, he must always shatter something. In shattering, he disobeys: in breaking, he creates."--Jeanne de Vietinghoff
"There are ... two kinds of people: those who are changing and those who are setting themselves up to be victims of change. As the world continues to march on around us, if I am only maintaining the status quo--if I'm not growing--then I'm falling behind."--Jim Clemmer
"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living."--Gail Sheehy
"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."--Max Depree
"A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar."--Lao-Tzu
"The soft-minded man always fears change. He feels security in the status quo, and he has an almost morbid fear of the new. For him, the greatest pain is the pain of a new idea."--Martin Luther King Jr.
"The man who views life at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."--Muhammed Al
"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."--Samuel Johnson
"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."--W. Edward Deming
"It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow."--Ralph Ellison
"What single ability do we all have? The ability to change."--Leonard Andrews `
"Change is loving is learning is stepping into the unknown is not letting what passes for correctness and the accepted to take hold" Jeff Brown
"A boy of 40, 50, or 60 who has not stepped out of his neighborhood or out of his work of habit is not nearly as damaged as a man who has never stepped out of his skin." Jeff Brown
Without change we never learn to be responsible, giving, understanding, patient, caring, hopeful, selfless, hard working, honorable, honest, disciplined, abstinent, tolerant, sharing, kind, to give and take, for no child comes into the world knowing these things. Are we to be as children? Yes, certainly humble and teachable but not to remain in our selfish, innate wants; those things we bring into the world must be overcome through change to greater betterment.
And then we must die.
It is too late before we are old or dying to examine death, for its instruction is profound and eternal. Those who have seen the most death are transposed by its permanence. And death has certainly been a major theme of this world, has it not?
The Spartan prepares for death at an early age, ready to defend his city state almost from birth. Death and the acceptance of death for the greater good was a given. Tens of thousands died in this way to honor their countrymen.
Rome built its conquest on death. Alexander the Great used death to build his empire. Attila the Hun used sword and bow to bring his claim to fame. There was Mussolini, Stalin, Hitler, Hussein, Idi Amin. The list of killers goes on and on. But there's more.
What of plague and pestilence? What of the estimated 200 million who died from bubonic plague or The Black Death from the 6th to 17th century? What of the billions who have died in all the wars in the world? (en dot wikipedia dot org/wiki/Death_toll) What of the over 40 million aborted births each year. What of those who live short lives, unproductive lives by the world's standards, such seemingly meaningless lives? What about fairness? Where is God in all this?
Well, the answer must lie in the depth of unfulfillment, for if this life were merely to be enjoyed, then this God we worship is an unjust God. If you believe in God, a just God, loving God, fair God, one who loves His children beyond measure, the only answer is that we came here to obtain a body, love, learn, and die. For there is certainly little else that all his children have in common than that. And does not God love all his children equally? For if He does not, He is not a God based in fairness and love. Therefore, our learning, our joy, that left unfulfilled comes fairly to all after this life. Why would anyone think a life full of such doubt, fear, the unfair and unfulfilled be the ultimate reward?
For what ever reason we have short lives, unfulfilling lives, unprosperous lives, lives void of filled dreams, abridged lives for whatever reason, we can take comfort that we do come here and do love, do learn, and certainly, will die. But with bent knees and humble spirit He will answer all questions. And for the non-believer, where will you turn?
God bless and may you live, love, and learn.
Peace.
Mother Teresa said that the reason we are here is to love and be loved that no one on their death bed will be thinking of their material possessions, money, empire, or putting in more time at the office.
The Hindu states that the self is too small for perpetual interest, a focus here cutting off life for the spirit desires eternal progress and joy. However, the Hindu believes that selfishness is not unnecessary that selfishness is like toys along the path of life. A child without toys is sad; however, sadder still is an adult fixated at this same level. Progression or growth stifled is the beggar for death. And love's encasement the greatest educator of all.
Love is eternal. Love is sacrosanct. Love thrives in the face of horror. Love is light and love is light. Love is the soul. Love heals. Love is education. Love expands. Love is our work and reason for being. Love cheats time. Love never fails. Love pushes away fear, anger, hate, hopelessness, dependency, selfishness, ignorance, anxiety and brings on hope, happiness, even eternal joy.
"What will survive of us is love."-- Philip Larkin
"Attention is the most basic form of love; through it we bless and are blessed."-- John Tarrant
"Love is the beauty of the soul."-- St. Augustine
"Love stretches your heart and makes you big inside."-- Margaret Walker
"Love cures people -- both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it."-- Dr. Karl Menninger
"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone--we find it with another."-- Thomas Merton
"Love is an irresistable desire to be irresistably desired."-- Robert Frost
"Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others and the delight in the recognition."-- Alexander Smith
"Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age."-- Anais Nin
"The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer."-- Oliver Wendell Holmes
"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."-- Antoine de Saint-Exupry
And this leads to the second concept of change.
Without change we are dead. Life or the act of living, the dynamic, the quickening is essential to our existence. For those who remain without purpose or a reaching outside of one's comfort, growth is stifled quickening death.
"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn ... and change."--Carl Rogers
"Truly every new idea is a violation of some older idea; as the awakening of tomorrow is a violation of today's slumber. As long as man continues to evolve, in other words, to separate himself from chaos, and to express himself in a higher form, he must always shatter something. In shattering, he disobeys: in breaking, he creates."--Jeanne de Vietinghoff
"There are ... two kinds of people: those who are changing and those who are setting themselves up to be victims of change. As the world continues to march on around us, if I am only maintaining the status quo--if I'm not growing--then I'm falling behind."--Jim Clemmer
"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living."--Gail Sheehy
"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."--Max Depree
"A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar."--Lao-Tzu
"The soft-minded man always fears change. He feels security in the status quo, and he has an almost morbid fear of the new. For him, the greatest pain is the pain of a new idea."--Martin Luther King Jr.
"The man who views life at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."--Muhammed Al
"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."--Samuel Johnson
"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."--W. Edward Deming
"It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow."--Ralph Ellison
"What single ability do we all have? The ability to change."--Leonard Andrews `
"Change is loving is learning is stepping into the unknown is not letting what passes for correctness and the accepted to take hold" Jeff Brown
"A boy of 40, 50, or 60 who has not stepped out of his neighborhood or out of his work of habit is not nearly as damaged as a man who has never stepped out of his skin." Jeff Brown
Without change we never learn to be responsible, giving, understanding, patient, caring, hopeful, selfless, hard working, honorable, honest, disciplined, abstinent, tolerant, sharing, kind, to give and take, for no child comes into the world knowing these things. Are we to be as children? Yes, certainly humble and teachable but not to remain in our selfish, innate wants; those things we bring into the world must be overcome through change to greater betterment.
And then we must die.
It is too late before we are old or dying to examine death, for its instruction is profound and eternal. Those who have seen the most death are transposed by its permanence. And death has certainly been a major theme of this world, has it not?
The Spartan prepares for death at an early age, ready to defend his city state almost from birth. Death and the acceptance of death for the greater good was a given. Tens of thousands died in this way to honor their countrymen.
Rome built its conquest on death. Alexander the Great used death to build his empire. Attila the Hun used sword and bow to bring his claim to fame. There was Mussolini, Stalin, Hitler, Hussein, Idi Amin. The list of killers goes on and on. But there's more.
What of plague and pestilence? What of the estimated 200 million who died from bubonic plague or The Black Death from the 6th to 17th century? What of the billions who have died in all the wars in the world? (en dot wikipedia dot org/wiki/Death_toll) What of the over 40 million aborted births each year. What of those who live short lives, unproductive lives by the world's standards, such seemingly meaningless lives? What about fairness? Where is God in all this?
Well, the answer must lie in the depth of unfulfillment, for if this life were merely to be enjoyed, then this God we worship is an unjust God. If you believe in God, a just God, loving God, fair God, one who loves His children beyond measure, the only answer is that we came here to obtain a body, love, learn, and die. For there is certainly little else that all his children have in common than that. And does not God love all his children equally? For if He does not, He is not a God based in fairness and love. Therefore, our learning, our joy, that left unfulfilled comes fairly to all after this life. Why would anyone think a life full of such doubt, fear, the unfair and unfulfilled be the ultimate reward?
For what ever reason we have short lives, unfulfilling lives, unprosperous lives, lives void of filled dreams, abridged lives for whatever reason, we can take comfort that we do come here and do love, do learn, and certainly, will die. But with bent knees and humble spirit He will answer all questions. And for the non-believer, where will you turn?
God bless and may you live, love, and learn.
Peace.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Jeff, the most frequent reason for a mom-to-be to have a stat c-section is failure to progress.Awesome article, and very educational and deep.Ken,
Never knew that about moms and c-sections. Thanks for stopping by once again. ;=)It seemed to fit in with your article. When we "fail to progress," due to our unwillingness to change, God has to take drastic actions to save us.I think there's a lot of truth to that. I've found that if I'm not doing what is essential, necessary in my life, or I'm not sure what I should do, things are made extremely uncomfortable so that I have to make change, change that is necessary for my growth.
I very much enjoy this line of thought… instructive and inspiring. I also like the fact that it’s shattering something, disobeying, breaking and creating.
I do not know -- and may never know the full meaning of life, the universe, and everything. I like the fact that I do not know everything but then again I am a student of Carl Rogers and living how to learn and change.I think (you may have a different interpretation), I am with you on “we came here to obtain a body, love, learn, and die”. This is my core belief too: we’re spiritual beings having a physical experience -- a kind of schooling so to say. After life, the universe, change, death and everything, there will only be love left. This is the only one and true spirit or as some call it the life energy/force that mankind, nature and the universe is made of. This (love) is the only standard by which we are and will be evaluated. How we express this spirit or life energy/force is very individual -- some creative and some destructive; some with much pain and others with much gratitiude; some with indifference and some fully engaged; some regressively and some progressively; some un- consciously and others consciously etc.You obviously are creatively, progressively, appreciatively and consciously evolving in a fully engaged way -- it shows in your writing!I also believe that God loves ALL of His children equally and fairly. I can’t complain, I’ve been given a large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over. I am and will be forever grateful. That doesn’t mean my life has been free of pain, au contraire. There also has been much pain but that pain is part of the growing, changing, breaking free from the old ideas and thinking, and creating the new. I am enjoying the unfolding of the unknown … a peek into the infinite, into eternity… :-)Thank you for a great article! Be so richly blessed!!!Dear Dr. of Love,"After life, the universe, change, death and everything, there will only be love left"; and therefore the reason you do what you do ;=) And yes, I have found no greater joy than in the unraveling, the revealing, the obtaining of priceless fruits of knowledge to ingest and imbibe. Wonder upon wonder will unfold as we seek, as we search, as we ponder and pray. Ask and it will be given seek and it will be revealed. We are loved beyond measure not for our failings but for all the good we do, learn of, and for our potential as we seek with hearts full of desire to do the best for ourselves and others. What else is there? To merely serve the self? Few if any have found true joy therein. Unravel from experience and trial all the blessings that you can. Peace.
Well done, Jeff. Very nice. Thanks.Michael,
Thanks for saying so and for taking the time to read. Appreciate it.
Good, punchy article.Live, Love and Learn. I like those concepts.Thanks for commenting Heidi. Thanks for the kudos.
thank youYou're welcome.
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