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MeeshkaMich
LL=Yum
Member since 2/06 5616 total posts
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by Mssissy
When I feel I have it bad, I remember someone out there has it harder. So how can I complain.
And thinking, "just when I thought "I" had it bad....." I should be grateful.
I agree 110% with what you said.
Where I interned for over a year I would see and hear life stories that you can't even imagine. It really makes you realize just how short and precious life is.
I've learned and accepted that sometimes all it takes is a little time, time can and will heal anything and everything, you just have to let it.
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Posted 1/3/08 7:04 PM  |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by DebG
Do you subscribe to a particular theory or person?
If so, what/why and why?
Can you walk me down your intellectual path that got you there?
Bad things do happen to good people.
And another fav of mine is it is what it is.
on good days I say it could be much worse and remind myself of situations much worse than my own. Not always an easy task, no matter what road you once traveled down though...
Message edited 1/5/2008 9:38:24 AM.
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| Posted 1/3/08 7:06 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
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Re: Philosophy on life
Lately, my mantra has been "you can either be a product of your environment, or your environment can be a product of you." I think that too many people (myself included) complain about things happening TO them, yet they never do anything about it, except complain. Sh*t happens, and you can either grow from it, or you can lay down and let it defeat you.
I also think that everything, big and small, is determined more by your Outlook than by your situation. There are those that cry over the bad that has happened to them, and there are those that celebrate all of the good that they have been fortunate enough to experience. The choice is YOURS of which category you fall into. Happiness isn't by chance, it's by choice.
There's no answer to why bad things happen to good people, or why we were chosen to bear the crosses that we do, except to say that Sh*t happens. That's it. Whether we believe in god or not, i can't believe that any higher being chose for us to suffer- i think they simply give us strength to get through that suffering.
And, when all else fails, i just tell myself to Get over it! I think being at the hospital so much has really helped me in this area. Watching a 6 y/o little girl die from cancer was probably the most humbling experience of my life. Its not to say that our problems aren't real, but its easy to lose perspective and add value to our obstacles instead of realizing their insignificance.
As for the philosophers... i think that there are those that think about life, those that write about life, and then there are those that actually go out and experience it. I was a big fan of Thoreau and Emerson, but lately i find myself more intrigued by people who's path i cross- their stories seem alot more interesting, and motivating.
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| Posted 1/3/08 7:57 PM |
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JenG
Love my little boy!
Member since 6/05 2489 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by Reese32
1. God does not give us more than we can handle. (He must think we're Hercules & Wonder Woman, but whatever)
and
2. That which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.
i think of these quotes also.
2006 was a HORRIBLE year. my DH diagnosed with a cacnerous brain tumor then had chemo and radiation. on top of that got a blood clot in his lung and hospitalized again. then of course losing his job. Does god not give us more than we can handle? I don't think i could handle him getting sick again. Did it make me stronger? I'm not sure of that yet
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| Posted 1/3/08 8:42 PM |
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MrsMessina
Thankful for our miracles!
Member since 2/07 7254 total posts
Name:
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Re: Philosophy on life
I think it depends on the situation for me. A lot of the things people have mentioned above have gotten me thru rough times.
My dad always taught me:
"Whether you think you can or you can't--- you're right".
I have to say I agree w/ this one in reference to a lot of things, but not all.
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:24 PM |
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dandr10199
Grace is growing up too fast!
Member since 10/05 11561 total posts
Name:
Dina
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by MrsERod
Posted by Ophelia
mine is life is not always fair. you cannot wait for life to give you your due.
you have to fight. sometimes you have to fight harder than others. sometimes you face obstacles that others don't face.
sometimes you are called on to show others in a similar situation that you CAN fight. you CAN change things.
that life requires perseverance. and faith.
faith in yourself. faith in others. faith (for me) in God. in the strength he has given me. in the place he has put me in. faith in the fact that every obstacle, every hardship I have faced has been b/c I needed to be the person I am for someone else. for my family, for my husband. for any children I may have.
I believe we all have gifts that those around us need...it's why we gravitate to each other. why we need each other. why we look to each other...situations and circumstances. we feed off of each others strengths, and learn from each others weaknesses.
every test God gives one, shows us all something.
there is a reason we all watched you fight Deb. And Dina...and any one else fighting for something.
there is a reason Hollie was with us when John was fighting.
there is a reason I met some of my friends when I did.
I don't know if this makes any sense outloud, but I does in my head...in my heart...it keeps me going...keeps me fighting...keeps me happy. keeps me living.
Jess, you just brought me to tears. So beautifully stated.  
ITA! Well Said. 
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:31 PM |
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Xelindrya
Mommy's little YouTube Star!
Member since 8/05 14470 total posts
Name:
Veronica
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Re: Philosophy on life
The fact that I am breathing is a miracle. More than 5 times in my life i've cheated death.
The most important rule I live by:
"Always expect the worst of life, you will never be disappointed."
It sounds bad but really its positive because everything else in life is a bonus.
The idea that got me through my childhood:
"No matter how bad your day is, there is someone else out there that your day is a good day for them."
Suriving my childhood (in the literal sense) and 9/11 has given me very little faith in God or religion. Instead I have faith in myself and my grandmother's teachings of nature.
*shrug*
Some are grounded by God, I am grounded by a rainstorm, bird's call, a breeze of wind and nature. Life is beautiful, you have to just look at it. Its e who make it difficult.
Message edited 1/3/2008 9:59:34 PM.
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:57 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
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The cure IS worse!
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by Xelindrya
The fact that I am breathing is a miracle. More than 5 times in my life i've cheated death.
.
Huh? really, wow that's amazing. How did it happen.
Holy Moly!
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:00 PM |
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Lucky09
2017!
Member since 1/06 7539 total posts
Name:
DW
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Re: Philosophy on life
Some of these posts are really moving...
After going through a rough few years myself, I have lately been going with this one:
You can't look back and think about what might have been if you "had only..."
You can only look ahead and try to learn from what happened in your past. I truly believe it shapes who you are as a person at this moment.
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:02 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
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The cure IS worse!
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Re: Philosophy on life
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:04 PM |
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JenBenMen
party of five
Member since 9/06 11343 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: Philosophy on life
I believe God truly only hands you what you can handle.
I have gone through some pretty traumatic stuff in my life. It sux when it is happening... but then you are a better person for it. IMO--once you have been thru a terrible thing, you truly can empathize what others in similar situations are going through.
Also, since i had DS I am utterly grateful just to be alive. First, i thought i would never conceive (i had an ovary removed in dec 2005) and I realize what a great gift he (and all children) are. I see how fast he is growing (8 months went by in a flash) and I am truly trying to "smell the roses" as they say...
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:24 PM |
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JenBenMen
party of five
Member since 9/06 11343 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: Philosophy on life
another fave
"Life is 10% what happens to you; 90% how you deal with it"
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:25 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
Name:
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by JenBenMen
another fave
"Life is 10% what happens to you; 90% how you deal with it"
love this one!
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:27 PM |
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JenBenMen
party of five
Member since 9/06 11343 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by neenie
Posted by JenBenMen
another fave
"Life is 10% what happens to you; 90% how you deal with it"
love this one!
Its so true--because in actuality we can handle what we chose to
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:31 PM |
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Xelindrya
Mommy's little YouTube Star!
Member since 8/05 14470 total posts
Name:
Veronica
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by DebG
Posted by Xelindrya
The fact that I am breathing is a miracle. More than 5 times in my life i've cheated death.
.
Huh? really, wow that's amazing. How did it happen.
Holy Moly!
FM
Nah, it's not amazing, at least I don't think so.
Just means I have more to appreciate. I'll take all that I've been through and triple it if it means less pain and suffering for my brother or half-sister or family. Sometimes I think that black cloud is too much to bear and then I think "Would I wish it on anyone" My answer is always no.
So my is boring. Or so I tell myself.
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| Posted 1/3/08 10:32 PM |
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Re: Philosophy on life
Deb...
I know I have inundated you with many an FM full of my personal life philosophies...
I just was feeding Cailen his nighttime bottle.
As I was holding him and looking at his sleepy face, I thought - wow... everything in my life led up to this moment so that I can be a mother to this wonderful little boy. If anything was different - ANYTHING - I would not be right here right now.
So, I am forced to believe that everything always happens so that something better can happen. No matter how awful, painful, and devastating things can be in my life. I tell myself, "Someday, there will be a reason for why I am going through this now..."
In a lot of ways, the odds were against me for other reasons. I was raised in an abusive household with a mother who systematically dehumanized me. What I have gone through are things I don't even repeat. I don't think people would even believe me if I told them.
But I survived. And although, yes, I have my wacky moments, for the most part, I am a pretty well rounded and together individual. But my experiences led me down a path where I always believe that SOMEONE must be out there to watch over me, because people who have lived my life pretty much wind up becoming drug-addicted, suicidal psychopaths. And thats not to say I didn't experience those things. But that makes me being here so much more important, and special. And meaningful to me...
And, on top of everthing else, God has blessed me with the wonderful gift of getting to be the type of mommy I always wished I had... 
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| Posted 1/3/08 11:10 PM |
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by dandr10199
Posted by DebG
This thread is so interesting to me.
I expected it to be philosophical in an existentialism sense with quotes of Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche or Camus or something.
It's nice to see a lot of personal philosophies come from deep religious places.
that feels good and warm
Having read Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche and Camus in college and going through what I did this year; I realized that when my life was on the line all I wanted was to be close to God, not read a philosopher's opinion. KWIM?
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| Posted 1/3/08 11:13 PM |
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by DebG
Posted by meprecious99
Read (or listen to) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
I got that as a DVD about a year or so ago.
It just didn't seem to touch or move me as it did for so many others.
Me neither...
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| Posted 1/3/08 11:13 PM |
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by dm24angel
I believe in physics.....put it out there, it will happen. simple as that, yet nearly impossible to do.
sounds pretty Buddhist to me  Have you been practicing without telling me? 
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| Posted 1/3/08 11:14 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by lipglossjunky73
Posted by DebG
Posted by meprecious99
Read (or listen to) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
I got that as a DVD about a year or so ago.
It just didn't seem to touch or move me as it did for so many others.
Me neither...
I am not a fan of it. I think it's message is meant to empower but often we cannot control what comes to us in life. That MO.
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| Posted 1/3/08 11:17 PM |
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tourist
Member since 5/05 10425 total posts
Name:
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by DebG
This thread is so interesting to me.
I expected it to be philosophical in an existentialism sense with quotes of Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche or Camus or something.
Really? I don't know many people who can toss that stuff out there in an impromptu conversation ( except this 1 guy I knew, who is getting his PhD in Philosophy!)
I don't really have a set philosophy that I follow, but a priest at a Mass I attended in college once said, " People always ask, why me, when the bad stuff is happening, but rarely when the good stuff is happening". I find myself frequently coming back to that.
However, he also told us that Ouija boards had real power & recently ended up in alcohol rehab, so maybe his wisdom should be taken with a grain of salt, but I always liked that one.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:01 AM |
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4monkeys
boys will be boys =)
Member since 9/05 7205 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by Ophelia
mine is life is not always fair. you cannot wait for life to give you your due.
you have to fight. sometimes you have to fight harder than others. sometimes you face obstacles that others don't face.
sometimes you are called on to show others in a similar situation that you CAN fight. you CAN change things.
that life requires perseverance. and faith.
faith in yourself. faith in others. faith (for me) in God. in the strength he has given me. in the place he has put me in. faith in the fact that every obstacle, every hardship I have faced has been b/c I needed to be the person I am for someone else. for my family, for my husband. for any children I may have.
I believe we all have gifts that those around us need...it's why we gravitate to each other. why we need each other. why we look to each other...situations and circumstances. we feed off of each others strengths, and learn from each others weaknesses.
every test God gives one, shows us all something.
there is a reason we all watched you fight Deb. And Dina...and any one else fighting for something.
there is a reason Hollie was with us when John was fighting.
there is a reason I met some of my friends when I did.
I don't know if this makes any sense outloud, but I does in my head...in my heart...it keeps me going...keeps me fighting...keeps me happy. keeps me living.
wow, that was poweful
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:06 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Philosophy on life
I'm not sure I have an official philosophy on life.
If I had to pick one thing, it would be Robert Fulghum's (eh...I'm going to call him a philosopher anyway)
Not the Everything I learned in Kindergarten. While I love it, it's too sunshine & butterflies for me. There is a story in one of Robert Fulghum's books that explains about being a reflection of light you receive from an unknown source & reflecting it into the darkest surfaces. I think we are put on this Earth to make a positive difference in other's lives. Whether or not you take up that gauntlet is up to you.
...or maybe Erma Bombeck's essay on if she could live her life over again.
Lately I'm becoming jaded. My new philosophy is "Put up or Shut Up." People like to b**ch about their plights but most have yet to come up with a plan to fix anything or go on a different path. Life is something you live. Not something that happens to you.
eta. hmmm.. I went from claiming we should be positive to my Put Up or Shut Up philosphy. Maybe I'm postiviely sure that's a good philosophy?
Message edited 1/4/2008 12:15:50 AM.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:11 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by nrthshgrl
Lately I'm becoming jaded. My new philosophy is "Put up or Shut Up." People like to b**ch about their plights but most have yet to come up with a plan to fix anything or go on a different path. Life is something you live. Not something that happens to you.
Barb- You always get me even when you dont know.
I'm stuck. I'm sitting here wondering what now? There has to be a reason and a greater good...What am I supposed to "fix" though? THAT is where I am getting caught right now.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:14 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Philosophy on life
Posted by DebG
Posted by nrthshgrl
Lately I'm becoming jaded. My new philosophy is "Put up or Shut Up." People like to b**ch about their plights but most have yet to come up with a plan to fix anything or go on a different path. Life is something you live. Not something that happens to you.
Barb- You always get me even when you dont know.
I'm stuck. I'm sitting here wondering what now? There has to be a reason and a greater good...What am I supposed to "fix" though? THAT is where I am getting caught right now.
Yes but as far as I'm concerned your greater good (at least for me) was your struggle & your triumph. ***That's not to say that you got cancer to make all of us grateful for what we do have. What I believe most in is biology pure & simple. *** You inspired my friend to hope for her son (still in treatment, lost his right eye). You inspired countless women on this site to hope for you, to hope for those in their lives & to appreciate what they have versus b!tching about what they don't have. You have earned the right to sit back & enjoy life with your little boy for awhile. I'm not putting you out to pasture but geez...take it easy for awhile.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:24 AM |
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