Live Long and Prosper, And Here's Why

[mso489]

You'll have to figure out the prosperity part yourself, but it is my contention that living long (as long as you can manage) is useful because it takes about forty years to figure out what happened in the first thirty years, even if you paid close attention. Longer if not. This is a philosophical question, or a psychological question, or perhaps a gerontological question. It occurs to me that I can figure out things about my life and life at large that once mystified me, even as events in the present may mystify me. Agree, disagree, or elaborate as you will.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

As best I can figure, I had to develop a sense of humor to cope with the condition of being surrounded by people who don't... ummm... think as deeply about things as I do. I've always been rather mystified that people seem to miss the obvious, or don't want to acknowledge the obvious around them. But, as far as its effect on me, I've just had to learn to laugh. Other than all of that, I am quite content with the lot I've drawn. I guess I'm ready to die... right?

 

[didimauw]

Yup my key to a long and unstressful life is to laugh. And it's not always intentional. Sometimes when the really bad shit happens, all me and the wife can do anymore is laugh.

Sigh....

 

[mso489]

It's true, humor plays a critical role in becoming human, related I think to understanding another point of view than your own. I think my notion in the original post relates as much to understanding -- people, situations, the role of history in individual lives. When you look back, you remember those years, but you also understand them differently, if not completely. That's what interests me here. Your idea of your situation and yourself changes, somewhat, sometimes a lot. Why cosmic, you're just getting warmed up! L'Amour, the writer of westerns, had a great quote, something to the effect of, one day you will feeling everything is over ... that will be the beginning.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Being on my own since age thirteen and outliving my first wife at age 20 added a few years to my life and forced understanding on me early. Life and the world change too much to fully keep up with and people tend to go through a change of perception and interests every decade or so, so flowing with the changes is a feat into itself. Mid sixties is more than I hope for but also tends to be the familial expiration point.

 

[tbradsim1]

My Grandfather gave me the key to living and being contended with your life. He told me this. (. YOU CAN MAKE ME EAT SHIT, JUST DONT TELL ME ITS BUTTER.)

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I'm now 30.. I never considered what my life would look like at 30. I considered 21, 18, maybe my first place. I never considered settling in to Hamburger and Saturday nights at home, watching family movies.. I've learn to just roll with the flow.. It seems we don't have all that much control over what happens next. Your only choice is to roll with the flow.

And remeber "take her easy, dude".

 

[Ettrick puffer]

I’ve recently came to pipe smoking with the passing of my dad and I certainly have a different perspective on life than before. Live for today, enjoy the simple things and try not to worry; whatever’s going to happen is going to happen ? Wish I had taken up the pipe years ago. To those that say “smoking kills” so does worrying over all the bs that society throws at us ?
Sod it your only here once.
Happy piping folks ?

 

[anotherbob]

You'll have to figure out the prosperity part yourself, but it is my contention that living long (as long as you can manage) is useful because it takes about forty years to figure out what happened in the first thirty years, even if you paid close attention. Longer if not. This is a philosophical question, or a psychological question, or perhaps a gerontological question. It occurs to me that I can figure out things about my life and life at large that once mystified me, even as events in the present may mystify me. Agree, disagree, or elaborate as you will.

you know that in a near death experience your life might flash before your eyes. I can confirm that it really does. Weird part is how clear it is, not just in detail but in value as well. It's weird how much you can tell if something really was the right thing to do or not. You can really see that you should have smoked your pipe more and spent less time with the kids (just making a subversive joke with that last bit). So either live a long time and get the slow version or convince your self that you're about to die. Either way you'll get a crystalline clarity on your existence.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Meanwhile, I just found out that entering the Isle of Man TT actually isn't that expensive.
(I've never ridden a motorcycle before but it's never too late to start!)

 

[anotherbob]

Meanwhile, I just found out that entering the Isle of Man TT actually isn't that expensive.
(I've never ridden a motorcycle before but it's never too late to start!)

actually there are a few times it's too late to start with a motorcycle. Like entering a big thing or a race without getting used to riding first. That's the one too late. Or if you're already dead you can still ride, but it's not the same really.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

you know that in a near death experience your life might flash before your eyes.

I really don't care to relive the whole damned thing, but there are a few nights that I wouldn't mind setting on loop and just ride those out for the long haul.

 

[warren]

While I am a student of history I don't ponder my past. Can't relive it! Can't change it. As we are quoting great Americans, "I yam what I yam, what I yam!"

 

[anotherbob]

I really don't care to relive the whole damned thing, but there are a few nights that I wouldn't mind setting on loop and just ride those out for the long haul.

yeah that was one of the nice elements. There where a few I've not thought about her in a while, darn glad I knew her though.

 

[mortonbriar]

My Grandfather gave me the key to living and being contended with your life. He told me this. (. YOU CAN MAKE ME EAT SHIT, JUST DONT TELL ME ITS BUTTER.)

Was he talking about margarine?

The older I get, the more I...forget what I was about to type. Let me try that again.

I think the strangest thing about being an adult is stumbling across experiences, say as a father, that remind me of my parents when they were my age and realising they were bumbling along through life just like I am. As a kid I thought they were so grown up. In some ways they were more grown up I guess, according to the times they grew up in, but certainly stunted in other ways like emotional maturity for example.

I feel like a slow learner in lots of ways, so I hope I do have a good few decades left to make the most of my collection of discoveries.

 

[Casual]

I love that idea: 40 to figure out the first 30.

It depends upon the rhythm of your life. I think I took fifteen to figure out the first twenty, and then I’ve been spending the next while to figure out that fifteen. You never really catch up!

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

In my life I've sure noticed one common theme.. Hindsight is 2020. It's clear as day what you should've done, as time passes after you've played your cards however you've played them.

 

[Ctbill]

Not sure where I first heard this, but excellent advice:
” The windshield is much bigger than the rear view mirror for a reason...What is in front of you is much more important than what is behind you - but you still need to look back occasionally...”
We never actually “figure it out” by the way (imho)

 

[workman]

The longer I live, the more difficult I find it to say anything short and clever about life. Dylan's "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now" fits very well as I increasingly feel I'm just bumbling between random coincidences.

 

[litup]

I've always thought that the sooner I can figure out what matters in my life, the better. I don't want to wait until I'm 75 to realize that I should have been living differently at 45. And the main way I've found to do that is to learn from the wisdom of my elders and take heed when they speak of what they would have done differently.