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And should we deliberately make our lives uncomfortable, from time to time, to toughen up?
When I read these ethnic books, of real lives being led in the 3rd world countries of the world, it can give me a good scare at times, like what if my life deteriorated, unexpectedly, rapidly? Would I be able to cope? Having become such a wimp, would I just grab a gun and end it? Even a power outage in my neighborhood, for a couple hours, in the middle of a hot summer, can give me good scare!
Having just read a narrative history of NYC, and given how people survived without electricity/running water/ceiling fans/AC for a long period of history, no question about it, those people were tough as nails!
Having become such a wimp, I'm astounded how people can survive natural catastrophes today without killing themselves!
Human beings are very adaptable, that is one of the reasons we're still here. The will to survive may be in you and you just don't know it.
To answer your question though, no, it never scares me to live a comfortable life. If things change and the comforts disappear, I'll either adapt or I won't. There is no point in worrying about what may never happen.
I live about 20 miles from the nearest town, on a lake in fairly rugged country shared with wolves, bear, moose and deer. We deal with longish power failures (generator!) and being snowed in for days at a time.
Does It Scare You Sometimes Living A Comfortable Life?
And should we deliberately make our lives uncomfortable, from time to time, to toughen up?....
Your thoughts?
No, it doesn't scare me. Several periods of my earlier life were lived in financially and physically unpleasant circumstances, so - to be honest - most of the time I am just grateful to have arrived at and sustained a lifestyle that is comfortable. And let it go at that.
However, given several health factors, including motor limitations, I would undoubtedly be among the first to perish in any serious disaster. I think that would be inevitable, and I am a believer that neither the unhealthy aged or nor the unhealthy infant should drag down those who would be better able to survive a calamity without the burden of caring for them.
Should we deliberately make our lives uncomfortable, from time to time, to toughen up? ....... Having become such a wimp, I'm astounded how people can survive natural catastrophes today without killing themselves! Your thoughts?
No, it doesn't scare me. No, I do not think it a good idea to abuse whatever: fate, fortune, and destiny (collectively identified as, 'personal karma') have allowed you to possess. As long as you haven't, 'sold your soul to the devil' in order to enjoy a more comfortable life then it's morally and psychologically all right for you to take a certain delight in what you have.
Is there any sort of genuine risk? Yes, there is. The risk is entailed in forsaking your personal ethics or morality in order to remain comfortable. What you believe to be true, what you believe to be proper, what you believe to be good, wholesome, and compassionate SHOULD NEVER BE SACRIFICED OR COMPROMISED in order for you to enjoy a, 'softer' material existence.
Neither should you feel guilty because you have more than the other guy. Whatever you have, or have not was previously determined for you, perhaps, in another life. One person, or another has been telling me this since I was a boy: Obey your conscience; and, 'let the cards fall where they may'. It's been my own personal experience that if God wants me to do something good - something of benefit to another - then, via circumstance, (Which doesn't actually exist, anyway) He'll place the opportunity right in front of me. The final decision to act, however, will always be my own.
You ARE your brother's keeper; however, you are not responsible for your brother's life circumstances. (Which, of course, brings up the ancillary conundrum: Who truly is, 'your brother'?) If the quality of your life should suddenly deteriorate then, as far as I'm concerned, that's kismet; and some (perhaps uncertain) force greater than yourself is demanding you to bear up, and accept it.*
My advice? Never ever forget that God is just; and what is taken away from you in one life can always be restored in another. Conversely what is given can, also, be taken away. Whatever happens it is necessary to understand that God (Christ) is a constant shepherd; we are, all, his sheep; and, brutal though it may be, ....... 'Life is more about learning than it is about either physical comfort or prowess'.
Sooner or later, whatever is taken away may, also, be returned; and what is given may, also, be taken away. Blessed be the Name Of The Lord.
My life now, in my own terms (some would disagree) is quite peaceful. I'm loving it. I live day to day. I've had enough sudden uphevials in life that I know that's all the certainty you get... now, this moment, this time. So I fully enjoy it. The times life has fallen off a cliff were usually not anticipated. But you can't go on each day wondering if something bad is coming tomorrow and lose all the love of living a day that isn't.
Life isn't about perminance or tomorrow, its today, this moment, this place and this karma, good or bad. If its bad its about withstanding. If its good its about enriching. There is balance IF we seek it.
And life is about minding the things we can and not shrouding the good times in the clouds of worry over the ones we have no authority over which *could* be. Could isn't here.
There is beauty in even the worse day, and sadness in the best.
it scares me because I have too much to lose to fight the injustices I see in the united states. We are passing a 17 trillion dollar debt on children that aren't even born yet. And I will not fight it because I have too much to lose. Thats how i wil exhale my last breath.
I think age has a lot to do about whether or not you could adjust from comfortable to suddenly being uncomfortable. I'm 64, no regrets how I've lived my life, have traveled the world over, but when I see photo's of the devastation of a tornado, your house/belongings blown away in a matter of minutes, I have to pause, and think: Could I? Start all over again? What a test that would be for being adaptable!!
Even losing a job, being unemployed for a year or 2, I don't know how many do it!
Why on earth would comfort frighten anyone? The only reason I can think of is religious ideations about pleasure or ease being evil. Trust me, they're good. VERY good.
There is plenty of adversity in life without going looking for it.
Some people (usually the religious, again) will tell you that happiness would not be possible without adversity. Don't listen to them. They're idiots. Can you tell the difference between sitting in a chair reading a good book, and having great sex? Then you can benefit from the contrast between, good, better and best, without all those nasty bad, worse, and hideous experiences.
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