Money is important certainly—because we can’t function in this world without it. BUT being rich or accumulating as much as possible isn’t, is it? While our Nation has grown wealthier as a whole, collectively, studies indicate depression as well as suicide continues to rise, we the people haven’t become happier. Why is that?
I have two uncles in their late 80′s who–even though each would be considered good men, they didn’t beat their wives or extort money from people. One’s disposition is more of a perfectionist control freak who ran his business and family with an iron fist.
The other who didn’t accumulate much materially has enjoyed a "happier" life and has a much better relationship with his children and grand children. The wealthier would be considered however more successful by many people. Today the wealthy man is despondent and extremely self-absorbed, a miserable mess waiting to die. AND if the truth be known–while I think his sons love him—it is sort of a love/hate relationship they do their duty seeing that he is taken care of, there is a portion of them that will be relieved when he does.
Today as he lays waiting to die, if you call or visit he complains incessantly proclaiming life to be terribly unfair–as his wife died a few years ago, and he’s wasting away. Yet he’s had two sons, five grand children and was a very successful business man, plus he and his wife of 60 years experienced a good marriage—but because the end of his days he’s spending alone dying he’s declared life unfair.
The other has also lost his wife, with whom he had a very successful union—and is health is also precarious, but if you asked him he would say he’s had a wonderful life. And his children and grand children adore him; they check on him daily and will be very upset when he passes on.
Beyond the accumulation of wealth and relationships, winner or loser, did these men choose their disposition or ambition that resulted in the life they lived?
Money is important certainly—because we can’t function in this world without it. BUT being rich or accumulating as much as possible isn’t, is it? While our Nation has grown wealthier as a whole, collectively, studies indicate depression as well as suicide continues to rise, we the people haven’t become happier. Why is that?
I have two uncles in their late 80′s who–even though each would be considered good men, they didn’t beat their wives or extort money from people. One’s disposition is more of a perfectionist control freak who ran his business and family with an iron fist.
The other who didn’t accumulate much materially has enjoyed a "happier" life and has a much better relationship with his children and grand children. The wealthier would be considered however more successful by many people. Today the wealthy man is despondent and extremely self-absorbed, a miserable mess waiting to die. AND if the truth be known–while I think his sons love him—it is sort of a love/hate relationship they do their duty seeing that he is taken care of, there is a portion of them that will be relieved when he does.
Today as he lays waiting to die, if you call or visit he complains incessantly proclaiming life to be terribly unfair–as his wife died a few years ago, and he’s wasting away. Yet he’s had two sons, five grand children and was a very successful business man, plus he and his wife of 60 years experienced a good marriage—but because the end of his days he’s spending alone dying he’s declared life unfair.
The other has also lost his wife, with whom he had a very successful union—and is health is also precarious, but if you asked him he would say he’s had a wonderful life. And his children and grand children adore him; they check on him daily and will be very upset when he passes on.
Beyond the accumulation of wealth and relationships, winner or loser, did these men choose their disposition or ambition that resulted in the life they lived?
Money is important certainly—because we can’t function in this world without it. BUT being rich or accumulating as much as possible isn’t, is it? While our Nation has grown wealthier as a whole, collectively, studies indicate depression as well as suicide continues to rise, we the people haven’t become happier. Why is that?
I have two uncles in their late 80′s who–even though each would be considered good men, they didn’t beat their wives or extort money from people. One’s disposition is more of a perfectionist control freak who ran his business and family with an iron fist.
The other who didn’t accumulate much materially has enjoyed a "happier" life and has a much better relationship with his children and grand children. The wealthier would be considered however more successful by many people. Today the wealthy man is despondent and extremely self-absorbed, a miserable mess waiting to die. AND if the truth be known–while I think his sons love him—it is sort of a love/hate relationship they do their duty seeing that he is taken care of, there is a portion of them that will be relieved when he does.
Today as he lays waiting to die, if you call or visit he complains incessantly proclaiming life to be terribly unfair–as his wife died a few years ago, and he’s wasting away. Yet he’s had two sons, five grand children and was a very successful business man, plus he and his wife of 60 years experienced a good marriage—but because the end of his days he’s spending alone dying he’s declared life unfair.
The other has also lost his wife, with whom he had a very successful union—and is health is also precarious, but if you asked him he would say he’s had a wonderful life. And his children and grand children adore him; they check on him daily and will be very upset when he passes on.
Beyond the accumulation of wealth and relationships, winner or loser, did these men choose their disposition or ambition that resulted in the life they lived?
I wish it could be as simple as money or wealth being the determining factor in these two lives. I think we all strive to achieve something in our lives and must come to accept that the physical elements of life will be taken away at the end of our lives.
We don't lose the love of the life long partner, we lose their daily physical presence. We don't lose our souls, but the physical body ebbs away.
Money came my way quite easily as a result of my working hard and using all of my given talents in my career. In the currency of physical life, I was valued greatly.
None of this prepared me to face what was to come. In the currency of the spiritual life, I had much work to do. I am just now coming to earn my value.
I have been front and center in the passing of three souls who were most dear to me in the past few years. I can say that all three left this world in love, but all of the money in the world could not save them. Two left easily and one with regrets that I will never forget.
Perhaps it is the uncle with the terrible disposition who needs the most love so that he can come to value his spiritual currency.
Sherri, I think there are not winners or losers. Everybody arrives with set of talents and functions, do their duty to the best of their abilities and go. Everybody have different set of circumstances. Our role should be, do good and be good.
Nobody can choose why are we born to certain parents or why are we born in certain country or certain location?
There are certain Karma theories, but they are not scientifically proved.
"Perhaps it is the uncle with the terrible disposition who needs the most love so that he can come to value his spiritual currency."
Nina K, I think you're right in that assessment—however, via human emotion, loving the unlovable takes an individual who possesses an abundance of spiritual currency, and how very blessed this individual who does. Yet, I
Hey everyone,
I think that we all come here to experience what we chose to in order for our own growth. Your grumpy and unhappy uncle came here to experience that, and maybe heal it, which he was unable to do. Maybe he will need to come back and keep experiencing it until he finally releases himself from it by healing. Without bad, how does one know good? We cannot differentiate. Each soul that chose to be part of that interaction was here to grow and learn as well. It is a beautiful insightfully profound comment by you Sherri in that it takes quite the soul to be able to love someone who is unlovable, and how evolved this person must be. That person was able to live their spiritual talk within their life, which will catapult them to a higher level for next life. Don't you agree? Oh I desire to be there this life.
Krissy
That person was able to live their spiritual talk within their life, which will catapult them to a higher level for next life. Don't you agree? Oh I desire to be there this life.
To tell you the truth, I'm not sure, because I don't believe in absolute free will because of DNA and external circumstances our behavior [or desires which definitely influences behavior] isn't 100% in our control. Because of this I believe some people are born more loving. Which could be evidence of karma at work, however if one is born with a capacity to be more loving should they be catapulted to a higher level in the next life for being more loving? What do you think?
Here's a quote to ponder:
A quotation from Swami Vivekananda, a Vedantist, offers a good example of the worry about free will in the Hindu tradition.
"Therefore we see at once that there cannot be any such thing as free-will; the very words are a contradiction, because will is what we know, and everything that we know is within our universe, and everything within our universe is moulded by conditions of time, space and causality. … To acquire freedom we have to get beyond the limitations of this universe; it cannot be found here.[89]"