Enlightenment is not a utopia. Enlightenment and unhappiness are not mutually exclusive. One could simultaneously be enlightened and unhappy, momentarily. The enlightened radiate light. While solid objects cast shadows over them, the shadows are temporary illusions that are quickly dissipated by their light....
The mind can make the most pleasurable things unpleasurable. I was recently informed by my sister that my father, an orthodox Jew, was angry the night he consummated his marriage to my mother. Their lovemaking turned from pleasure to anger when he realized my mother was not a virgin as she had claimed. I thought it funny that his mind distracted him from the pleasure at hand; that she had bed others before him and mislead him seemed besides the point. I don't know whether my father was upset because he felt my mother's deception compromised the foundational trust upon which a solid relationship is built upon or perhaps my father felt that marriage was a significant financial commitment on his part for which he expected to have first dibs on certain bedroom benefits; yet, apparently, others received the benefits for free....
Yesterday it was reported that SpaceX, a company controlled by Elon Musk, paid $250K to settle a sexual harassment employment dispute whereas a flight attendant at SpaceX claimed that Musk offered her a horse (she apparently loves riding horses) in exchange for a "sexual" massage. Presumably, Musk's offer was: I'll give you a horse if you take care of my horse. Musk contends that the sexual harassment claim at issue has been mischaracterized; the disclosure of which is an effort by the political left to discredit him because he has taken to task many of the left's absurd ideologies and programs. Clearly the left despises Musk because he is an “unfairly advantaged” successful businessman who criticises them. Essentially, the left is saying, rightfully so, that Musk's success is unfair because Mush has quite a bit more testosterone than those smart enough to lead the left but not able enough to get it up to making money and having fun....
"Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one."...
My son, Alex, yesterday tore his Achilles' tendon while playing squash. An operation to repair the tendon and 6+ months of rehabilitation will follow. While the injury is an immediate and serious lifestyle and physical problem, Alex was calm. I suppose he was grateful, as his circumstance could have been worse. and optimistic they will get better. As such, we'll save some money. While Alex and I are very different personalities, his attitude makes clear we'll never need a DNA paternity test....
The sun shows us every significant thing on earth and the billions upon billions of stars tell us how insignificant it all is....
"Life is a dream, so have fun with it." When we forget it's a dream, it can turn into a nightmare....
Scripture doesn't much describe heaven, but it's likely a cool place relative to hell. As heaven is relatively painless and hell excruciatingly painful, heaven is death by freezing and hell is death by fire....
When we have no doubts about how we see something, we close our eyes to other possibilities....