Please remind me. What makes life worth living?

[Deja Q]

People?

Things?

Both?

Other?

[EstimatedProphet]

1. All of the above

Depending on what they are. Also I would add the search for intellectual and spiritual enlightenment.

[crispini]

2. Yoga, sushi, and chocolate.

All of which I have had today. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[Floogeldy]

4. Taquitos, rice, beans and cheese.

:)

[Xipe Totec]

74. Damn, I can't argue with that!

So long as the cheese is fresh crumbly farm cheese, preferably home made

:9

[LSK]

3. lots of things

But right now its the Bulls vs the Kings.

Theres a lot out there, learn something new.

[Robb]

5. Hot water and ice

Ice for the adult beverage, hot water for the tub. :)

[Floogeldy]

8. I have a lot of respect for . . .

. . . clean drunks. :)

[Beware the Beast Man]

6. We remind you every time you ask.

Maybe you should write it down for safe keeping. :thumbsup:

[Deja Q]

15. LOL. And the next time you post a 'What do you look like' thread...

I'll ask you to save my pic!

Same difference.

As with peoples' corporeal appearances, peoples' interests change.

I apologize if I offended you by posting here.

[Beware the Beast Man]

18. Not at all. I am concerned for you.

I'm an occasional gloom-and-doomer myself, but I force myself to focus on positives. It's the only way you'll get by.

[Deja Q]

19. Quite. And there are positives... I just had my sights poorly tuned.

I also know I had set up impossibly high standards for myself.

Now that I've lowered my standards, I feel emptier than ever. Thought I oughtn't...

But I never defined "impossibly high", which could easily be considered "normal" for anyone else. Or 'normal' in a parallel world.

And I'm glad he's still interested in me... even though I know it's for one reason only. And I was about to break things off because I just can't handle that type of situation, even though he's far more honest than anybody I've socialized with in the past... anybody. But I do need to be reminded that life is a journey; and I've wasted most of mine looking beyond the horizon, where the proverbial Destination is said to be. It's time to get back to the journey, instead of seeing so far ahead that I become blind to my ambient surroundings; some of which should have reminded me long ago to get what I can in life... and most of those revolve around my damaged spinal cord and the fact my right arm keeps going cold and tingly on me.

I have not wasted my life. Because I now see the life as a journey again. While the Destination is as elusive (if not as utterly phony) as Shangri La or Eden, most people just don't want relationships. They want everything else but. And I've got to get used to that. This homey didn't used to play that. And I'm glad I've still got time to change my tune. In many ways...

[tigereye]

52. you are on the right track

"I have not wasted my life. Because I now see the life as a journey again."

that's what you need to think. :thumbsup:


A very wise 20 year old once told me, "Don't be an existentialist, you'll ruin your 20s!" ;)

[Deja Q]

64. Better late than never, I suppose.

:)

[Xipe Totec]

78. When You Learn to Find a Smile...

Hi, HT!

This is a poem I often turn to for inspiration. This is my answer to your question regarding what makes life worth living. I hope it helps you as well.

- XT

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=335x720

[hfojvt]

43. It probably helps right now

to have a terrible towel :woohoo:

[Deja Q]

63. LOL, I suspected I'd get at least one response like that.

And I've mocked other people the same way too, so don't worry about me getting annoyed. :)

Today my left ankle gave out on me... and the fine tremor hasn't improved either.

[Missy Vixen]

7. True love

"True love is night jasmine, a diamond in darkness, the heartbeat no cardiologist has ever heard. It is the most common of miracles, fashioned of fleecy clouds - a handful of stars tossed into the night sky." — Jim Bishop

Julie

[Floogeldy]

11. *snicker*

:puke:

[dpbrown]

20. As we all know, he said "To Blave"

...and that means "to bluff"

;)

[ET Awful]

47. LIIIIIIIAR! LIAR!

I'm not a witch! I'm your wife!

[Oeditpus Rex]

9. 1. Baseball

2. Cool old cars.

3.

[Swede]

10. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Oh and cash.

[AirmensMom]

12. Great friends,

a beautiful day,
a kitty to cuddle,
chocolate,
sushi,
wine,
music,
DU ...

:)

[Aristus]

13. My wife, my grandson, my brother, a good steak, good friends,

the constellation Orion on a clear night (like tonight!), anything by Mozart, Bach, Beethoven or Schubert, a relaxing weekend after a rough workweek, the Democratic Underground, a crisp, ripe Red Delicious apple, Mount Rainier turning pink in the morning sunlight, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Concrete Blond and the life-reaffirming music of Chris De Burgh (yes, I'm not joking), found money, Hollywood liberals, and the hard-working, dedicated liberals who never get the recognition they deserve,
the plays of William Shakespeare, the short stories of Harlan Ellison, my father recovering from his by-pass surgery, a co-worker telling you "You're so cool" for no discernible reason...

That's just off the top of my head. :-)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. Hot chocolate.

Furry warm cat bellies.
Hanging out with like-minded people.
The north shore of Lake Superior.
Mozart.
Flying through the clouds.
Pecan pie.
A cold dog nose on the back of your leg.
Sleeping late.
And more other things than I can possibly list.

[Dinger]

16. People nt

[hickman1937]

17. Books booze and brownies.

With nuts.

[liberaltrucker]

21. Xanax and Effexor

:rofl:

[hobo_baggins]

60. I took effexor for a while, it made me sleepy...

[fujiyama]

81. What about something more natural?

:smoke:

[lpbk2713]

22. That first cup of freshly brewed coffee in the morning.

And having the time to enjoy it.

[RetroLounge]

23. My Poetry Threads!

:rofl:

RL

p.s. and Xanax...

[obxhead]

24. an Island of my own....

It WILL happen one day, I just need to figure out who to steal the loot from. :)

[kid a]

25. hope

[Shine]

26. The ephemeral nature of it.....

It passes all too quickly and too many people, imo, take the simple gift of being alive for granted. :hug:

[LeftyMom]

27. For you?

You have to answer that question for yourself.

[jeff30997]

28. What makes life worth living?

Noting much for me these days...

[LaraMN]

29. A nice pair of boots and some cookie dough.

I'm easy to please. :)

[bridgit]

30. Edelweiss?

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

no wait, but the you have just to escape nazi oppression anyhow x(

[mikeytherat]

49. Edelweiss? Great restaurant!

http://edelweissrestaurantva.com/

The rindsrouladen is wonderful!

mikey_the_rat

[bridgit]

54. just a little scots/german girl giving a shout out to edelweiss...

:hi: thanks for the link

[Zookeeper]

31. The St. Croix river on a perfect autumn day.

Lake Superior. A northern peat bog in the summer with Ladyslippers and insect-eating Pitcher Plants (for your dark side). Freshly fallen snow on bare tree branches.

Feeling water run over your hands while you wash dishes. Learning a new skill. Just being in this moment because it's really all that we have.

Find a way to get out of your head. :hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. kitties

[ZombieNixon]

33. DU pity parties?

I'm not being snarky; I'm completely serious. I've got one going on right now.

Well, that and the leftover rum you find you left in your friend's fridge. :D

[jpgray]

34. Only if you promise you won't forget again.

Tie a string around your finger. If that doesn't work, try around your neck. :D

[petronius]

35. To crush your enemies,

see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!

[JVS]

37. WE HAVE A WINNER

[ET Awful]

48. Or, failing that, to become governor of Kahleeforneea

:P

[NMMNG]

36. It can be people, or things, both, or any combination of other stuff

Whatever makes you want to get out of bed in the morning (even if you sometimes have to really work at it). It can be a special goal you have set for yourself, a job you like, a new love, a hobby, a home-improvement task, your daily cup of coffee, a relaxing bath at the end of the day, favorite spiritual rituals--whatever. Anything you get pleasure and motivation out of (and hopefully is not harmful to you). If you are having extreme anhedonia and can't find anything pleasurable, seek help.

And if you occasionally need reminders as to what makes life worth living, so what? Depression and other debilitating disorders can cloud the mind and make one forget what one can see so very clearly at other times. Never be afraid to ask for help if you need it. :hug:

[LaurenG]

51. I go with this one

This one Hypnotoad. :hug:

[RevCheesehead]

38. glimpses of truth.

You know those moments in a conversation, when you're deep in discussion, and suddenly you discover the great "Aha!" moment? That moment when, briefly, everything makes perfect sense, and all is right with the world.

Or more simply, "connecting" with people. Moving beyond the facades that we present, and discovering the real person beneath the image. One who is completely vulnerable, yet trusting. I think when we share ideas, we share a part of ourselves.

Oh, and I would also add: pizza. :)

[BikeWriter]

39. Uhh...

[Deja Q]

65. I presume you mean 'sex'?

:rofl:

Can't blame you...

[SofaKingLiberal]

40. I'm still trying to figure that out.

I'll let you know if I do.

:think:

[Omphaloskepsis]

41. I enjoy my weekly visits to my local mental health care professional.

I like porn and pizza... But dude.. get some help.

[BikeWriter]

53. I abhor my weekly visits to my local mental health care professional.

:(

[Deja Q]

68. Those who had hurt me need it far more than I do.

:)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

42. The hope that tomorrow will be better...

and the reality that it probably won't.

[Jean Louise Finch]

44. David Hasselhoff

Not trying to make light of a serious question, but the world has got to be a good place if something like this exists:

best video ever

[BlueIris]

45. Lots of things. Go find some.

And...Hypno? You're in therapy, right? If you're not, you should make arrangements, IMHO. I'm sure things are hard, but nothing is worth feeling so terrible that you are questioning the value of life.

[ET Awful]

46. Raindrops on roses,

And whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles,
And warm woolen mittens,
Brown paper packages,
Tied up with strings,
These are a few of my favorite things . . .

Cream colored ponies,
An' crisp apple strudels,
Doorbells an' sleigh bells,
An' schnitzel with noodles,
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings,
These are a few of my favorite things . . .

Girls in white dresses,
With blue satin sashes,
Snow flakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,
Silver white winters,
That melt into springs,
These are a few of my favorite things . . .

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings,
When I'm feelin' sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad . . .

Roses....hmmm kittens...
Kettles.......mittens....
La dee da, la dee da,
La dee da, da,
These are a few of my favorite things . . .


:evilgrin:

[mikeytherat]

50. In deference to your avatar, I must suggest:

Booze (in wide-mouth bottles)
One $300 hookerbot OR 300 one-dollar hookerbots
Death to all humans
A secret desire to be a folk singer

mikey_the_rat

[leftofthedial]

55. things!

People are evil and unreliable. Using people for your own selfish pleasure is good, but you never know when one of them might stab you with a letter opener or something.

Go for plasma TVs, electronic gadgets, cars, boats, houses (real estate is about to get really cheap!), lots of expensive clothes, more electronic gadgets, maybe a couple of motorcycles . . . yeah! Knowing that you have it better than other people? That's makes life worth living.

[Fox Mulder]

56. I've been wondering this for about five years now...

(I suffer from major depression)...

[blindpig]

57. Other life.

Plants & animals but particularly animals. They are the template of our existence.

[applegrove]

58. Community, family, empathy, working for a cause...

[Greyhound]

59. Sunny and 75 with the slightest breeze, in February.

[bif]

61. Bjork.

[kwassa]

62. Sunshine on my shoulder

[dr.strangelove]

66. Orgasms and Heroin

Kidding, about the heroin, I've never tried it, but sex is IT!

[miss_american_pie]

67. Possibilities

Not knowking what tomorrow will bring.

[Benfea]

69. Getting into loud angry arguments with people you care about...

Things like that sound awful until you consider that the dead can't experience even such mundane and disturbing things as that. Stupid and awful things tell you you're alive as surely as the comforting and the meaningful.

[Sugar Smack]

73. "Seinfeld"!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Benfea]

76. I never watched it. Did I just make a reference unintentionally? -NT

[Sugar Smack]

80. YES, you DID!

Very good observations on your behalf, too.

:applause:

[Benfea]

83. Actually, the sentiment is not original in Seinfeld

I originally encountered a similar sentiment in the acclaimed comic book series The Watchmen, which was originally published in 1986 to 1987. It was a poignant moment if you ever decide to read it (which I highly recommend, even if you don't like comic books).

[redqueen]

70. hope

bitch of a thing, too

[Deja Q]

77. :)

:yourock:

[ccjlld]

71. A child

expressing pure joy in the simplest things.

[skygazer]

72. The realization that the alternative is probably not that hot, either

I know that with life there are things I can enjoy, even if it's only occasionally. But I'm not so sure about the other. So I trudge on.

Not very deep, I'm afraid, but sometimes deep is just too.... well, deep.

[Deja Q]

75. I had been put unconscious for critical surgery...

When I woke, apart from saying "Forgive me if I don't get up", the first thought I had was that the 4 hours I had spent unconscious was tantamount to death. Only for a shorter period of time.

A couple months prior to, I had fallen unconscious at work. I'd been out for over 3 hours and most of the day remains a big empty 'black hole' in my mind. That period did not exist. Again, just like death albeit shorter.

In short, what should I fear? Thanks to an "unsavory" childhood, pretty much everything despite it all. But I am getting used to the fact it will end. And I am finding comfort in that. Nothing is immortal.

I've also been re-evaluating what I've loved in the past. And finding out that "this is what I've been living life for?!" No wonder I got taunted, berated, mocked, lambasted, the butt of some pranks that you do not want to hear the details of, frequently pummelled (once to unconsciousness) and was falsely blamed for starting :wtf:, sexually assaulted, molested, and other things as far back as age 4...

Trust me. I should have much less to fear than most other DUers. And yet I'm more worried about not losing my job so I can maintain my bill payments! :crazy: Seems I'm a well trained tin soldier after all.

[northzax]

79. duct tape and WD-40

the very fact that we live in a world where everything can be fixed by some combination of the two means there is a plan.

[no name no slogan]

82. posting threads about shitty bands and Wilford Brimley

AND SNAKES!!! ON A MUTHAFUCKIN PLANE!!!! And there's not a GOT-DAMN think you can do about it!

[Stillwater]

84. This

Resume

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.

-- Dorothy Parker

[CBHagman]

85. Sometimes the most defiant thing you can do...

...is just to go on living and hoping and believing that you efforts will be worthwhile. It's just a variation on "Don't let the bastards get you down," but there you have it.

When all else fails, I look forward to seeing the ducks each night as I walk to the bus stop. I don't know what they're doing in that particular square (there's no pond), but the gather as though they're attending a buffet table and occasionally quack in that raucous, laughing way they have.

[DODI]

86. 4 new episodes of Futurama direct to DVD

That is what is keeping me going.

[burythehatchet]

87. those days when everyone you encounter smiles at you

and seems to see a bright light around you, and you're not sure why.