Love

My blog today is about love, and about hope. We are born alone and naked, and scared. As we get older, we develop connections with people which we value so highly. Then, at the end, we die alone.

When I think about the connections I’ve had with people over the years, I realize that those connections are the meaning of life. It’s incredibly important to have a life of connections, positive connections, with others. In fact, one might define one’s life around how many people have been touched, cared about, or simply positively affected, by your presence.

In a way, I’ve had a blessed life, because even at the ripe age of 38 I’ve finally learned this lesson. For example, the time I spend with my daughter is the closest I’ll ever get to heaven. We have so much fun together. I worry about her constantly, and the thought of her not being in my daily life haunts me more than the thought of my own death. Strangely, I rarely think about my own death in any other context but whether I’ll see her again. It is a wonderful feeling to transcend life. I’m nearly there. In Buddhism, liberation and enlightenment occur when one goes beyond the “real world” and instead sees the true essence of life. I believe that there are many paths to enlightenment, and no religion has a monopoly on it.

At nearly 14, she is growing up so fast, and I often wonder how things will turn out for her. She has had two wonderful and caring parents all her life, and a large extended family, and many friends as well.

I hope I can see her as much as I can in the future.