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Merry Christmas, HN

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Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#131

Post by neilv »

labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

> It gets better.

This is one of the the truths that people need to hear during difficult times throughout their lives.

And, after a history of things seeming hopeless but turn out not to be, sometimes people can remember and believe when they tell themselves, "This, too, shall pass."

We modern advanced humans are surprisingly resilient in many ways, and we need to keep ancient primitive programming from precluding that.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#134

Post by edgyquant »

6stringmerc wrote: post #118

I wish me the very best for 2023 as well, and I've realized life is actually out in the real world and if they're thousands of miles away, go visit them. Otherwise you just want to endorse that shithead Zuckerberg's perspective that the future is online. It isn't and kid, there are things worse than death...

This is a big thing I realized this year. Screens, keyboards and even the Turing marchine are temporary steps towards allowing us to control the material universe with our written words. Why would anyone want to go into a virtual world that can never be as rich as the “real one.”

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#136

Post by Smaug123 »

CMCDragonkai wrote: post #120
vinckr wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

Is this original daoism or did you derive it from something?

Yes, this is from the start of the Tao Te Ching. Ursula le Guin rendered it thus:

> For the unwanting soul sees what's hidden, while the ever-wanting soul sees only what it wants. Two things, one origin, but different in name, whose identity is mystery. Mystery of all mysteries! the door to the hidden.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#137

Post by paulryanrogers »

ketzo wrote: post #75
ggggiok wrote: post #10

Not a Christian, but appreciate the sentiment. Family is all dead so it's just another weekend for me, no big deal. Hope the rest of you enjoy your festivities, whatever it is you're doing.

I enjoy that the commercialization of American Christmas has, a little bit, freed it from religion. Now it’s just the default Western end-of-year holiday! And we can all enjoy that :)

Let Festivus began! Airing of grievances, feats, of strength, the aluminum pole, and hanging of the clock in a bag.

No animal sacrifice, self hatred, or persecution of non-believers required.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#138

Post by aargh_aargh »

shlorn wrote: post #124
labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

I have my health, a career and I have my parents but this has been the hardest of holiday seasons. While I'm blessed, I feel like I'm falling behind peers who are are in serious relationships and starting families of their own; guess it's one of the first times I've felt lonely and the world/reality closing in. This thread has been a good read; to me its a reminder to charish what I have and remember to look forward…

Hey, it's not a race. And noone's path or destination is the same. You will be OK, don't worry.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#139

Post by michaelsbradley »

Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that this new light of Your Incarnate Word which shines upon our minds by faith, may be reflected in our deeds. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

— Collect, In Nativitatis Domini in aurora

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#140

Post by erisinger »

vinckr wrote: post #112
samsquire wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I experienced a similar episode but not with alcohol. I surround myself with things that are of these words: good, love, kindness, peace, serenity, tranquility, purity, loveliness, wholesomeness, cleanliness, positivity, light, fruit, right, proper, meant, should, high. Reject dark, evil, bad, negative, low, death, darkness, sinister. It's a duality you need to escape. Pick the good side. If you surround yourself wit…

Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

Is this this the Mitchell translation?
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