I listened to this sort of randomly but was pleased to discover that this recording was of one of my favorite discussions by the group. Commenting now soas not to lose track of it

The original recording has disappeared so I am posting the quote referred to in Dave's comment:

Quote from: Dave T on Aug 28, 2018, 05:47 AMHuxley quote on mental illness is very interesting. It is hard to tell what is truly "normal" anymore, because normal is so distorted.

ââ,¬Å"The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. "Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does." They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness. These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬â€¢ Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited

[embed=500,300]<iframe src="http://deburger.com/vestibule/embed/TolstoyConfession.html" width="500" height="300"></iframe>[/embed]

https://archive.org/details/confession_1505_librivox

LibriVox recording of My Confession by Leo Tolstoy.
Read in English by Expatriate
"My Confession" is a brief autobiographical story of Leo Tolstoy's struggle with a mid-life existential crisis of melancholia. It describes his search for answers to the profound questions "What will come of my life?" and "What is the meaning of life?", without answers to which life, for him, had become "impossible." Tolstoy reflects on the arc of his philosophical life until then: his childhood abandonment of his Russian orthodox faith; his mastery of strength, will, power, and reason; and how, after he had achieved tremendous financial success and social status, life to him seemed meaningless. After despairing of his attempts to find answers in science, philosophy, eastern wisdom, and his fellow men of letters, he describes his turn to the wisdom of the common people and his attempts to reconcile their instinctive faith with the dictates of his reason. The main body of the text ends with the author reaching a compromise: faith, he realizes, is a necessity, but it must be constrained by reason. However, an epilogue that describes a dream he had some time after completing the body of the text suggests that he has undergone a radical personal and spiritual transformation. (Summary from Wikipedia)

Found this graphic that shows the writings of Paul in chronological order...

I plan to read in this order to see if it adds clarity.

This pdf is CLV presented in this order:
http://DeBurger.com/vestibule/concordant/Evangel.pdf

[embed=425,349]<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h6fcK_fRYaI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/embed]

The Egg
By: Andy Weir

You were on your way home when you died.

It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. You left behind a wife and two children. It was a painless death. The EMTs tried their best to save you, but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered you were better off, trust me.

And thatââ,¬â,,¢s when you met me.

ââ,¬Å"Whatââ,¬Â¦ what happened?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"Where am I?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"You died,ââ,¬Â I said, matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words.

ââ,¬Å"There was aââ,¬Â¦ a truck and it was skiddingââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Yup,ââ,¬Â I said.

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬Â¦ I died?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Yup. But donââ,¬â,,¢t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,ââ,¬Â I said.

You looked around. There was nothingness. Just you and me. ââ,¬Å"What is this place?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"Is this the afterlife?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"More or less,ââ,¬Â I said.

ââ,¬Å"Are you god?ââ,¬Â You asked.

ââ,¬Å"Yup,ââ,¬Â I replied. ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m God.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"My kidsââ,¬Â¦ my wife,ââ,¬Â you said.

ââ,¬Å"What about them?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Will they be all right?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Thatââ,¬â,,¢s what I like to see,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"You just died and your main concern is for your family. Thatââ,¬â,,¢s good stuff right there.ââ,¬Â

You looked at me with fascination. To you, I didnââ,¬â,,¢t look like God. I just looked like some man. Or possibly a woman. Some vague authority figure, maybe. More of a grammar school teacher than the almighty.

ââ,¬Å"Donââ,¬â,,¢t worry,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Theyââ,¬â,,¢ll be fine. Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didnââ,¬â,,¢t have time to grow contempt for you. Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If itââ,¬â,,¢s any consolation, sheââ,¬â,,¢ll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Oh,ââ,¬Â you said. ââ,¬Å"So what happens now? Do I go to heaven or hell or something?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Neither,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢ll be reincarnated.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Ah,ââ,¬Â you said. ââ,¬Å"So the Hindus were right,ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"All religions are right in their own way,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Walk with me.ââ,¬Â

You followed along as we strode through the void. ââ,¬Å"Where are we going?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Nowhere in particular,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"Itââ,¬â,,¢s just nice to walk while we talk.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"So whatââ,¬â,,¢s the point, then?ââ,¬Â You asked. ââ,¬Å"When I get reborn, Iââ,¬â,,¢ll just be a blank slate, right? A baby. So all my experiences and everything I did in this life wonââ,¬â,,¢t matter.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Not so!ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"You have within you all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives. You just donââ,¬â,,¢t remember them right now.ââ,¬Â

I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. ââ,¬Å"Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful, and gigantic than you can possibly imagine. A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are. Itââ,¬â,,¢s like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if itââ,¬â,,¢s hot or cold. You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, youââ,¬â,,¢ve gained all the experiences it had.

ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you havenââ,¬â,,¢t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. If we hung out here for long enough, youââ,¬â,,¢d start remembering everything. But thereââ,¬â,,¢s no point to doing that between each life.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"How many times have I been reincarnated, then?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Oh lots. Lots and lots. An in to lots of different lives.ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"This time around, youââ,¬â,,¢ll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 AD.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Wait, what?ââ,¬Â You stammered. ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢re sending me back in time?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Well, I guess technically. Time, as you know it, only exists in your universe. Things are different where I come from.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Where you come from?ââ,¬Â You said.

ââ,¬Å"Oh sure,ââ,¬Â I explained ââ,¬Å"I come from somewhere. Somewhere else. And there are others like me. I know youââ,¬â,,¢ll want to know what itââ,¬â,,¢s like there, but honestly you wouldnââ,¬â,,¢t understand.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Oh,ââ,¬Â you said, a little let down. ââ,¬Å"But wait. If I get reincarnated to other places in time, I could have interacted with myself at some point.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Sure. Happens all the time. And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan you donââ,¬â,,¢t even know itââ,¬â,,¢s happening.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"So whatââ,¬â,,¢s the point of it all?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Seriously?ââ,¬Â I asked. ââ,¬Å"Seriously? Youââ,¬â,,¢re asking me for the meaning of life? Isnââ,¬â,,¢t that a little stereotypical?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Well itââ,¬â,,¢s a reasonable question,ââ,¬Â you persisted.

I looked you in the eye. ââ,¬Å"The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"You mean mankind? You want us to mature?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"No, just you. I made this whole universe for you. With each new life you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Just me? What about everyone else?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"There is no one else,ââ,¬Â I said. ââ,¬Å"In this universe, thereââ,¬â,,¢s just you and me.ââ,¬Â

You stared blankly at me. ââ,¬Å"But all the people on earthââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"All you. Different incarnations of you.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Wait. Iââ,¬â,,¢m everyone!?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Now youââ,¬â,,¢re getting it,ââ,¬Â I said, with a congratulatory slap on the back.

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m every human being who ever lived?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Or who will ever live, yes.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Abraham Lincoln?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re John Wilkes Booth, too,ââ,¬Â I added.

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Hitler?ââ,¬Â You said, appalled.

ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re the millions he killed.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m Jesus?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"And youââ,¬â,,¢re everyone who followed him.ââ,¬Â

You fell silent.

ââ,¬Å"Every time you victimized someone,ââ,¬Â I said, ââ,¬Å"you were victimizing yourself. Every act of kindness youââ,¬â,,¢ve done, youââ,¬â,,¢ve done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was, or will be, experienced by you.ââ,¬Â

You thought for a long time.

ââ,¬Å"Why?ââ,¬Â You asked me. ââ,¬Å"Why do all this?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Because someday, you will become like me. Because thatââ,¬â,,¢s what you are. Youââ,¬â,,¢re one of my kind. Youââ,¬â,,¢re my child.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Whoa,ââ,¬Â you said, incredulous. ââ,¬Å"You mean Iââ,¬â,,¢m a god?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"No. Not yet. Youââ,¬â,,¢re a fetus. Youââ,¬â,,¢re still growing. Once youââ,¬â,,¢ve lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"So the whole universe,ââ,¬Â you said, ââ,¬Å"itââ,¬â,,¢s justââ,¬Â¦Ã¢â,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"An egg.ââ,¬Â I answered. ââ,¬Å"Now itââ,¬â,,¢s time for you to move on to your next life.ââ,¬Â

And I sent you on your way.

I just came across this helpful program:

Scripture 4 All
Greek / Hebrew interlinear Bible software

overcome the language barrier and get in touch with the original

Download: http://scripture4all.org/download/download_ISA3.php

A Case Against Random Acts of Kindness
by Lexy Bader ââ,¬Â¢ January 30, 2014 ââ,¬Â¢

I came across this article early in 2014 and saved a bookmark to it because I greatly enjoyed the sentiment it it shares. After visiting the bookmark I was disappointed to discover it was no longer being offered by TheRockAtBC Fortunately I was able to recover it from The Internet Archive's "WayBack" machine and am re-posting here for posterity.

---

Random acts of kindness are truly beautiful. One Christmas Day a few years ago, a stranger paid for my breakfast, and I felt the kind of warmth that comes in response to a reminder that humanity is, after all, good. But that gives rise to a question: why should I need a reminder? Why am I not constantly aware that humanity is good?


Presumably because humanity is not always good. This idea is not novel, I realize. Miley Cyrus, in fact, referenced our allegedly inherently flawed nature a few years back, singing the line, ââ,¬Å"Nobodyââ,¬â,,¢s perfect!ââ,¬Â, and then movinââ,¬â,,¢ her hips like yeah to reiterate the concept. But that gives rise to another question: why is humanity not always good?

Is it that we lack the capacity? Some say yes. Augustine, for example, chalks up his sexual indiscretions to the fact that he is flawed. Thus he cannot be expected to break his sinful habit without the grace of God.

But I beg to differ. My father once passed onto me a story heââ,¬â,,¢d heard from a therapist whose first client was a physically abusive husband.

ââ,¬Å"I just canââ,¬â,,¢t help it,ââ,¬Â said the man. ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m hard-wired to respond violently when she disobeys me.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Now, tell me,ââ,¬Â asked the psychiatrist. ââ,¬Å"Would you respond that way if a policeman angered you by giving you a ticket, or if a Patriots linebacker sideswiped your car and refused to pay for the damage?ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Well, no. I guess not.ââ,¬Â

ââ,¬Å"Perhaps, then,ââ,¬Â the psychiatrist filled in, ââ,¬Å"you can help it.ââ,¬Â

Perhaps, then, we can all help it. Think for a moment of the person in this world whom you love the most. Think about how well you treat that person, and how much you would be willing to give up for that person. A lot of us have the good fortune of having at least one friend for whom we would, in a second, undertake to dieââ,¬â€in a touching scene in Macbeth, Lady Macduff points out that even ââ,¬Å"the poor wren, the most diminutive of birds, will fight, her young ones in her nest, against the owl.ââ,¬Â Many of us are lucky enough to know what it means to love like that.

So no, we do not lack the capacity to love absolutely. Clearly, we have the ability to be completely selfless and give away the one thing that allows us all of the other pleasures we have: our lives. Why? Because we value love more life, and nothing else matters to us more. The peerless value of love is also not a novel idea.

But try this: why not treat everyone the way we treat that one beloved person?


That, of course, is an equally worn-out topic: charities, welfare, and basic politeness exist for that purpose. But I donââ,¬â,,¢t think we take the right approach to it. Contemporary culture pushes for the idea of moderation. Take care of yourself, and then use your excess to take care of others. Make a lot of money during the week, and then drop a twenty in the offering basket on Sundays. Give money to charity, but make sure that you yourself can live comfortably. Be good to people, and make as many friends as you can, but drop them if the friendships begin to bring you more anxiety than happiness. Donââ,¬â,,¢t lose your temper, but still demand respect. You deserve proper treatment. Go on a service trip or do a little volunteering here and there; itââ,¬â,,¢ll be good for you. Diet, but in such a way that you can still eat some of the foods you love. Use proper consumer ethics most of the time, but if you really love a piece of clothing, break your rigid buyer morality. Youââ,¬â,,¢ve earned it. Do random acts of kindness every now and then. Everything in moderation.

Too much of anything is bad, people say. And I think our culture has officially reached the point of excess moderation.

We are better than that.

We need not stoop to random acts of kindness; no, we have the ability to commit perpetual acts of kindness. This idea that we can only do so much without endangering ourselves is an excuse. At no point in my life have I found that using the phrase ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢m doing the best I can!ââ,¬Â has provided a satisfactory response to anyone demanding more of me. Why?

Because we never do the best we can.

I decided to try to take apart my average day, piece by piece. First, I wake up, and change my clothes.

Stop. How much clothing do I own? Too much. Do I need all of it? No. Could I give some of it away? I know I certainly could. Often in the past, Iââ,¬â,,¢ve made the excuse that I have no time, but I know that if the person in my life whom I loved the most asked me if I had five minutes to talk, I would drop everything and find five minutes. So, yes, I most certainly have time.

Next, I brush my teeth.


Stop. Do I always remember to turn off the water while Iââ,¬â,,¢m in the brushing process? No. Could I not conserve a good deal of water by doing so? Yes. So why donââ,¬â,,¢t I? Because I donââ,¬â,,¢t think about it.

Then I go for a run. I come back and shower.

Stop. How long did I spend in the shower? Probably longer than necessary.

After that, I go to breakfast.

Stop. Did I smile at the cashier, say ââ,¬Å"pleaseââ,¬Â to the person filling my order? I hope so. But I donââ,¬â,,¢t know.

The list goes on. And yes, itââ,¬â,,¢s absolutely insane to break down every moment of every day like that. But think about all the great men, those whom history has chosen to remember. Were any of them ââ,¬Å"saneââ,¬Â? Did they live in moderation? Or did they instead do good in unprecedented amounts?

And think for a moment of Christ, the man whom so many of us hail as Savior and Teacher. Did He ever plead the right to fair treatment, or insist upon owning just one or two expensive togas? Did He desire to lay down His life for a few people whom He loved? No, He died for ââ,¬Å"all menââ,¬Â and did so ââ,¬Å"while we were yet sinners.ââ,¬Â Thus He gave all He had and asked nothing in return.

But surely, surely He doesnââ,¬â,,¢t expect the same from us helpless humans, weak and worthless since the Fall. We canââ,¬â,,¢t be expected to do good all the time. Why, then, should we bother to try?

Because we can.

ââ,¬Å"Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.ââ,¬Â

Thereââ,¬â,,¢s a famous hymn called, ââ,¬Å"Theyââ,¬â,,¢ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.ââ,¬Â

Look at your life, and ask yourself. Will anyone know?

No more moderation. We shortchange ourselves, and we treat the people most in need of our love with half-hearted compassion.


As Marianna Williamson once said, ââ,¬Å"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.ââ,¬Â For the longest time, I wondered why that should be a fearââ,¬â€until one day I looked at my own life and saw the great gap between who I am and who I have the ability to become. Realizing that I have the ability to be more than what I currently am compels me to ask more of myself than what I currently give.

The verse goes, ââ,¬Å"from those to whom much is given, much will be expected.ââ,¬Â Or, of course, the pop culture reference, ââ,¬Å"with great power comes great responsibility,ââ,¬Â expresses the same idea. If we stop seeing ourselves as weak, flawed, helpless, and incapable of rising above moderation, then, yes, we have to change our lifestyles radically.

Society might see us as insane, but that too is our fault to begin with and our responsibility to change. Someone once told me that one of the most common misconceptions people have is that they are ââ,¬Å"stuck in traffic.ââ,¬Â ââ,¬Å"You fools!ââ,¬Â he declared. ââ,¬Å"Youââ,¬â,,¢re not stuck in traffic; you are the traffic!ââ,¬Â This invisible force called ââ,¬Å"societyââ,¬Â is made up of millions of little parts we refer to as individuals. We ourselves are society. Society, then, does not oppress us; we oppress us. And to change society, we must each change ourselves by forgetting the concept of normal and instead embracing the concept of right. We must cease to comfort ourselves with the delusion that we are inadequate and must instead grab hold of the terrifying and beautiful truth:

We are powerful beyond moderation.

In reply to a blogging friend of mine I offered the following (by way of comments) to their "Year in Review / Looking Forward to the New Year" type article.

(January 8, 2019)
There is never any shortage of advice about love and to prove that point I will dare to offer what I feel to be essential to finding the ââ,¬Å"oneââ,¬Â ââ,¬â€œ since you have expressed a desire to modify your views in this regard:

I myself was the victim of serial heartbreak until venturing into a mental exercise that prepared me to recognize my soul-mate when she walked into my life. In desperation I reviewed those individuals I had felt compelled to love more deeply than ââ,¬â€œ in hind-sight ââ,¬â€œ I wish I had. I thought long and hard about what characteristics about each I most missed in their absence. I thought about what do I desire from a relationship that I have yet to encounter. In short I mentally prepared a ââ,¬Å"girl of my dreamsââ,¬Â based on aspects of love I had gleaned from my life. I looked at my parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors ââ,¬â€œ good and badââ,¬Â¦

As heartless as this may sound; until I was able to describe to myself this person, in detail, I felt as though I was adrift in hopelessness. However, once I had the ââ,¬Ëœtemplateââ,¬â,,¢ ââ,¬â€œ remarkably soon after ââ,¬â€œ an angel stepped right into this halo I had already prepared.

I find myself increasingly growing into a believer of predestination and am quite certain the person you seek can only be seeking after you. Of course, we know not what the future may hold ââ,¬â€œ ââ,¬Å"best laid plansââ,¬Â and all thatââ,¬Â¦

...Do you think love is rational?...

(January 11, 2019)
Sounds like an innocent enough question doesnââ,¬â,,¢t it: ââ,¬Å"Do you think love is rational?ââ,¬Â I must say it set the windmills of the mind a-turningââ,¬Â¦

Love is multifaceted and it could be said that some aspects appear rational where others seem without a doubt irrational. The task of explaining what love is so easily plunges one into the poetical that even the attempt to do so is akin to chasing butterflies (and all the imagery that that act might inspire.)

I believe it is us, the creatures, who prefer to think ourselves rational. We seek for an explanation of Love before we can commit to it. Love ââ,¬â€œ it is said ââ,¬â€œ is an emotion (which I find to be a misleading notion.) Holy scripture tells us that Love is Godââ,¬â,,¢s essence. We like to think that we are the arbiters of Love and it is ours to do with what we willââ,¬Â¦ this too is a mistake. I think it is a blurring of the lines between ââ,¬Å"Loveââ,¬Â and ââ,¬Å"Willââ,¬Â that lead to much in the way of disappointment.

At the risk of getting ââ,¬Å"preachyââ,¬Â I think it is important to remember that there is purpose to all that is. There will never be an Earthly (rational) explanation for any of it. If you can accept there are forces at work, greater that we can possibly imagine, then given the statement ââ,¬Å"God is Loveââ,¬Â we must conclude that True Love is the only rational thing there isââ,¬Â¦

As we live our lives we must recognize that in our current reality we are perpetually experiencing consecutive ââ,¬Å"nowââ,¬Â moments in time; a seemingly endless series of ââ,¬Å"nowsââ,¬Â that give the perception of movement, much like the advancing frames of a film trick us into perceiving action before us. We are constituted with memories which serve to prove our existence in our own minds. We tend to remember our past but are powerless to do anything to change it. It truly ââ,¬Å"Is, What It Isââ,¬Â (or ââ,¬Å"Wasââ,¬Â if you prefer.)

The mental exercise I suggested in my previous comment has incumbent upon it acceptance of the notion that the future is as equally immutable as the past. While we never really know what the future will bring, it is often surprising when things come to pass just as we perceive them. Very often humanity gets caught up in chasing the realizations of their own preconceptions; they lose sight of the joy that is promised by living life in the will of Wills. Trust that you are granted only the power to glimpse the future as it _truly is_ and will never see what will never be. Things will happen that will cause you to question your very existence at times but just wait for itââ,¬Â¦ you will very often find yourself in ââ,¬Å"one moment in timeââ,¬Â that will shine unmistakable clarity on all that came before, and that light will be shining from the truth set directly before you.

Donââ,¬â,,¢t get me wrong, I certainly was not of this mindset ââ,¬Å"back in the day,ââ,¬Â when I met the lady who would ultimately become my wife. Nor was I walking ââ,¬Å"the straight and narrowââ,¬Â path to enlightenmentââ,¬Â¦ but enlightenment will come to those who seek it. Enlightenment will most certainly come to all, regardlessââ,¬Â¦ seek contentment ââ,¬â€œ you will find it only on the path to Love.


(January 16, 2019)
The concepts I have expressed here are not typically offered freely to family and friends but they were the frequent underpinnings for the occasional lecture to my children (when the situation warranted ââ,¬â€œ the memory of which would induce eye-rolls in them to this day) ??
...
Perhaps it is our interactions with love that are always completely irrational. We like to think of love as though it were a solid, an object for our consumption. Viewing love as a sort of luminiferous aether might begin to approach a truer simile. The power of love being a driving force; the rejection of the same ââ,¬â€œ wherein the bulk of humanity finds its heroes ââ,¬â€œ being the general state of affairs.