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"Seek and ye shall find." Read the New Testament and then the Bhagavad Gita. Jesus's words are uplifting but there's a lot of information that he gave the dis

"Seek and ye shall find." Read the New Testament and then the Bhagavad Gita. Jesus's words are uplifting but there's a lot of information that he gave the disciples that didn't make it into the Book. The Gita can be viewed as the "missing manual". - - - - I just lost my cat recently and had a birthday, so I'm in a deeply existential mood. "All things are impermanent." It's as true as true can be. One day the cat is here, fluffy and meowing. The next day the cat is gone, and unlike the one in the story the cat is not ever coming back. Everything is like this: temporary, transient, contingent, impermanent. The only thing, if anything, that we can "take with us" or that outlasts us is the effect we had on the world around us while we were alive. That is the closest thing to a "possession" you'll ever have. So look to that. If you seek meaning in life, try helping people. Be kind. Cherish every moment. Feel and express love. Hope this helps. :)

in9 4y ago
Thank you for those kind words. I have two 2yo twin cats as well and the thought of not having them around is tough. Will check out both recommendations. I've never heard of Bhagavad Gita and it seems incredibly interesting.
- carapace 4y ago
  You're very welcome. It's hard to lose someone you love. I knew this day would come (or, more precisely, the other way 'round: me predeceasing the cat, would be so much worse for my friends and family... There's a old Buddhist tale: A family has just finished construction of their new home, and the tradition there is to get a kind of of banner or scroll of wise words to put over the household shrine, to honor and bless the new home. So they go to the local monk and commission him to make it. He paints a scroll and calls them to come pick it up. They arrive and read it: Grandfather dies. Father dies. Son dies. Grandson dies. Naturally the family are taken aback, and respectfully ask the monk to redo it. He calls them back the next day and tells them, "I tried and tried. I arranged the lines in every combination, but this is the best order." So, yeah, I knew this day would come...) but it's still hard. Enjoy the Gita, I recommend reading many different translations, and don't settle too early on an interpretation (i.e. some people believe it was a real battle while most believe it's pure allegory, things like that. It's part of a huge epic story, the Mahabharata.)

in9 4y ago

Thank you for those kind words. I have two 2yo twin cats as well and the thought of not having them around is tough. Will check out both recommendations. I've never heard of Bhagavad Gita and it seems incredibly interesting.

carapace 4y ago
You're very welcome. It's hard to lose someone you love. I knew this day would come (or, more precisely, the other way 'round: me predeceasing the cat, would be so much worse for my friends and family... There's a old Buddhist tale: A family has just finished construction of their new home, and the tradition there is to get a kind of of banner or scroll of wise words to put over the household shrine, to honor and bless the new home. So they go to the local monk and commission him to make it. He paints a scroll and calls them to come pick it up. They arrive and read it: Grandfather dies. Father dies. Son dies. Grandson dies. Naturally the family are taken aback, and respectfully ask the monk to redo it. He calls them back the next day and tells them, "I tried and tried. I arranged the lines in every combination, but this is the best order." So, yeah, I knew this day would come...) but it's still hard. Enjoy the Gita, I recommend reading many different translations, and don't settle too early on an interpretation (i.e. some people believe it was a real battle while most believe it's pure allegory, things like that. It's part of a huge epic story, the Mahabharata.)