TheRedneckProfessor

I'll probably regret it in the future.

It will be neither good nor bad. It will simply be.

There is a difference between living in the present and being present in the moment. The present will never come; but the moment is already here, now, and you are either present with it, or you are off somewhere else making plans and preparations for a present... that will never come. Here is an exercise that may help: go find a tree and be present with it. What do you normally do when you look at a tree? You think things about the tree, right? "I wonder how old this tree is." "Those leaves are a pretty color." "I could use some firewood around the house." As soon as you s

Good to hear from you again, @Positivist!

"In a little while, you will have forgotten everything; in a little while, everything will have forgotten you." ~Marcus Aurelius

What is the past? The sum total of your life is this moment in time. Nothing more. You can be present, here, now, in this moment; or you can miss your life entirely trying to live in moments that are no longer yours to live. The same is true for the future.

If you think living without regret is hard, try living with it.

Y'all tone down the compassion and shit, alright? Y'all are overwhelming Lex.

As a general rule, it's not always easy with family, whether it be politics, religion, or differing ideas on raising children. Dynamics do change over time, as Joshpantera has alluded; but the constant often seems to also be the toxic. It isn't, really; but human nature tends toward the negative. My own family has been through hell these past two years. Some parts have been broken; others healed. It's been painful. I've let go of a lot of the drama. The hard truth is, I can neither change nor control anyone other than myself. I can communicate my own grievances. I can set

I'd say my sense of morality went from being a series of theoretical concepts to a concatenation of practical behaviors. As an example, when I was a christian, I knew, in theory, that lying was wrong; but I still lied all the time. Over the past decade and a half, though, my personal integrity has become paramount to me; and I have worked very hard to build and maintain a character of trust and honesty. At first, I was surprised at how difficult it is to not lie out of habit. I find it more difficult now to shade the truth.

No. It soundly pissed him off to be described in that manner. I guess the truth hurt him, or at least touched a nerve.

In Brothermario's defense, I'm the one who affixed the Braggadocio moniker to his account.

One of my biggest problems with christian ideology is the misappropriation of forgiveness as though it is the rug under which every act can be swept, be they immoral, unethical, or acts of personal/social abuse. The believer need only seek the forgiveness of heaven for absolution with little to no concern for the one who's been done wrong. This obviates the drive to become a better person through personal introspection, correction, and growth, while simultaneously fueling the cycle of guilt=>repentance=>guilt=>repentance. Those wronged are left to bear the weight, scars, fall-out,

The main difference, I think, is motivation. If someone makes bald claims and unfounded assertions, I'll point that out to them. If someone is using logical fallacies, I'll identify them. Certainly if someone is condemning, judging, or otherwise being rude, I'll throw back with an equal measure of aggression. But my motivation for doing so is not because I want, or need, to convince that person; I am simply observing the rules of engagement. I have neither the need nor the desire to convince anyone of anything. Even if I did, it is not my place to do so. We all walk our own