As good as life can be, sometimes those moments can be far and few between. So it would make sense to keep on going as long as you can. I wouldn't want to die, no matter how bad things got, there's always a chance for them to get better and I'd rather stick around for that rather than be worm food or have God judge me. ~.~ Though I really don't think I'm so horrible I deserve hell but who knows. ^.^ I like to think if the big man is up there, he's way nicer than some people make him out to be.

--
We are the Cosmos. <3

it's just one of the mysteries of Jesus....






I am SOOOO kidding!. Being of the Christian faith (but not necessarily action), it's really nice to see the "same ol fight" brought up in a fair and even way. All three of your queries are the correct answer in conjunction with more personal reasons I'm sure. We live life as long as possible in order to test our potential. There are things that we all want to do and a long life makes time for those things (weather viewed as good or bad), we as people strive to live life long and by our own definition of "well" in order to prevent ache to those that we care for. Fear and curiosity are also reasons we live long (try to), theistic or not, simply don't know what the results of death are, and the fact that it is an existing unknown automatically breeds questions and emotions. What ever they may be is up to that individuals value/ belief set but I doubt that that their are no feelings (strong or not) about it. As for value of length, it seems more of a case by case basis. It is seen as tragic for a happy 30yr old person to die due to the potential of more happiness. It is seen as tragic for an unhappy 30yr old person to die due to the potential of possible happiness. Yet it is seen as OK for a 30yr old to die who has been suffering since the age of 12 (cancer or what have you) unless some sort of promise of less suffering has been made. (In most theistic religion that promise is postmortem anyway) Again, most of the viewpoint is subjective to the individuals opinion on the possible potential of the deceased's life yet lived. Inversely, living to the extent of age where society has prepared for you to die and physicality has rendered quality of life to a lower standard is viewed as a success because a) you have made the "average" b) slowing down is likened to time for reflection and c)"ample" time has been achieved to complete any goal one has set for themselves (you aren't being "cheated" out of time). As for heaven or hell, bad Christian that I am, I don't believe that up or down is a predetermined thing, like a plane ticket, it is a reward/ punishment for the quality of life lived, no matter when that life ends (skirting around suicide all together here), now "good/ bad" by what standards is the problem, but the point here isn't a right/ wrong fight. Only you (can prevent forrest fires) or an ill timed industrial accident can decide when life is complete .. or something like that. I had more but "Goth no typee much on blogg like thingies"

Lol
Miss ya man
Goth (Dee Jay)

It's been my experience that the good outweighs the bad, so the longer I hang on the more good stuff I'll get to do.

From a purely practical standpoint, I average about one trip per year. Sometimes it's just within Florida. Sometimes I go on a crazy 9-day driving tour of several states. Time and finances determine the extent of my travels, and lately the condition of my spine has become a factor. Whatever happens, I'll continue my tradition of exploring. I try not to think about how much I want to see vs. how much time I may have left. There's never going to be enough.

Your next question would be "Why travel?" I say why not. Even if we do only live 30 years, isn't it more interesting to get out and do things?

Well, now. It would appear I've come back to a stimulating conversation.

To me life is a massive accumulation of experiences and learning curves. I do believe there is a life after death, i find it hard to believe,however that it is tied specifically to time though. Time is rather material, plus theoretically speaking since everything is happening at once time really doesn't exist per say except in the mind.

Having explained my thoughts on the subject, in general i am of the opinion that you cant be "taken away" before your allotment is up. there is to many ifs, ands, buts and the like, that play out effecting other people. You cant end until you've touched everyone you were meant to.

So, in summary I guess I'm saying time isn't the factor here, rather the actions garnered.

Sorry for the ramble and strangeness. My outlook is rather different from the norm on this subject.

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22 white roses next september,
jennifer.

So that's basically the "we all go according to our plan" method? Everything's predetermined, so if you die at 18 or 85 that's just when you were supposed to die according to your particular power-that-be.

Or are you just saying we all have this set number of things we're supposed to do with our life (though we don't know what those things are) and once we reach the end of our "bucket list", we die? Which I guess is a looser version of the "plan" version. Though I don't know how much the free will part can "jive" with the everything's planned out part.

--
-Andy Hayes





....Also, check out I Am Nerd.

Yes in many ways i would say the bucket list. however i don't think the bucket is predetermined. There are things that are meant to be done by each person however i think that those decisions are themselves set in slate.

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22 white roses next september,
jennifer.

excuse me *themselves are NOT set in slate*

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22 white roses next september,
jennifer.

No, I get why you travel. And the "I have stuff I still want to do" is a valid counter-argument, though it still feels more of a quality of life issue and not an extent of life issue. I vote for making the best of the time you have--even if I don't personally do it, or get it at least.


I guess to put it another, more silly way, what I'm asking is if you suddenly became a vampire and never died--or at the very least lived for centuries, is that actually a BENEFIT? Sure, you'd likely be able to see every place on the globe you'd ever possibly want to see, maybe it would make you happy, but is it really so much better than doing the same effort but only getting to see a fraction of the globe? Either way, you've made the best of your time and had your joy. But when you die it's done. You won't have that reflection moment of "oh, but I never got to see Russia!". The percentage of time of you being alive and having your joy is practically the same. And maybe if you live forever you'll just get...I don't know...bored of the thing you loved so much.

If you can leave on a high note you've made it...but is there's more value in how long you've held that note?

--
-Andy Hayes





....Also, check out I Am Nerd.

You have forgotten something, Andy. Life is NOT about going to work and grinding day to day. It is about LIVING. Lots of people forget that. I forgot that. My boyfriend forgot that. And we all need reminders. Work is there to ensure we can get the things we cant get for ourselves, like shelter. It isn't life. Life is going out in the world, experiencing new things. I personally think quality of life is far more important than quantity, though as humans, we mourn death, and this is hardly a condolence when a loved one dies.

We try to live as long as possible because of the simple fact we have ONE life; this one. This is your life as Andy, no one else's. When it is done, it is done, no coming back to it. It is a gift. So remember to enjoy it, because it is the only one you get, no matter what religion you are or how you view the afterlife or lack thereof. The fact still remains that life is something special and unique, exclusive to what you have right now. There won't be another one, even in afterlife, because that is a different existence all together (if you believe that sort of thing, of course.)

Just remember to live life! Experience the world, make the most of the greatest gift you will ever have. You won't regret it, no matter how long or short your life is