by joelbear 38 Replies latest jw friends
Unless you are famous for something how long are you really remembered?
Maybe you are remembered at most by your grandchildren, but then your presence in the universe is gone.
So, really, what difference does it make whether you die in your 40's or your 70's, your memory simply lingers another 30 years at most.
Just as well that God has a good memory
Brummie
Even if it's only 30 years that you are remembered Joel, it's important to be remembered for doing something good. I had a friend die not very long ago that always called and discussed current events with me. That's not important in a world wide sense, but I'll never forget those conversations we had. At that point in my life I was pretty low about some things and he knew that by talking to me that he could bring me up out of my funk. Just yesterday there was a huge drug bust in our area and I was thinking how Bob would have phoned me up and we would have gone on and on about what idiots these guys were. Of course we would have shared in some glory day stories.
My father died when my boys were young. They still talk about him and how he took them fishing all the time. I have a feeling that MY grandchildren are going to hear stories about him too. I never met my grandfather. He died in Russia. But I know a lot of things about him. I guess it is important that we all tell family stories to help keep memories alive. As long as possible anyway.
Hi joelbear:
My parents died last year. I think about them often. When they first died, I could remember how they looked when alive. The way they spoke. The way they laughed. Now, I have the memories of them in my heart, but their faces are fading a bit.
I will remember them forever. My children will remember them, too. But, not with the same intensity. Their children will not know them at all. Pictures are great. The written word even better. But, the truth of the matter is, we will all just be someone's memory one day. Let's just hope those memories are good ones.
My grandmother had a somewhat "normal" life. But, she decided to put her life into a book. She tried to publish it, but didn't get any positive feedback from the publishers. But, we now have a manuscript of her life, and the lives of her 12 children. It makes for a very good family history to be read over and over again by her ancestors. This is one way she was able to be "remembered" for a very long time to come.
Mrs. Shakita
My Aunt killed herself when she was 12 years old. When i see pictures of her,,,i can tell she was a loving sensitive person. I know it sounds strange that i never met her and yet i miss her. I just wish she had made the right descision and stayed around. I will always remember her ( My mom tells me wonderful stories about her) If i ever have children i will pass it on to them and they will pass it on ...so I believe her memory will live on forever.
Ruby, that's cool girl!
I have many small tokens & momentos, including letters & pictures of not only grandparents, but great-great grandparents. They are treasured by me and I will in turn pass them onto my children. I may have never known these individuals, but through their letters and photographs I feel connected to them.
Each person is different. Let me give you an example of my cat. I had a cat that lived 7 years, and died of some kind of cancer. Well, I really liked that cat alot, because I live alone, and being lonely, that cat was like a person to me. That cat died 10 years ago, next may, and I still remember. I know that you can't compare an animal with a person, by no means, but some people forget faster about a person, than I forgot about my cat!!! So the whole thing is in your heart. When you have a heart, you remember.
Hi Joelbear,
I have a good friend who suffers with bouts of depression and she makes statements like yours frequently. Such conclusions loosley based on the truth as, "we won't be remembered anyway", or "it doesn't matter when we die", and "no one will care if I die", are all justifications for commiting suicide so that she can end her mental pain. I fear you are depressed as well but please try and remember that our view of reality at any given moment may not always reflect reality, especially if you are depressed. My friend says I don't understand because I don't feel the same way she does and, you know what, she is right. I can only know what I feel but the evidence all around me says that life is worth living even if we are not remembered at all. Live your life for the here and now and for your friends, family, and any strangers we might contact because that is what really matters. It sounds cliche'ed and corny but all we will really ever have are each other living in the here and now and people do care and remember every kind word or gesture we exchange despite our fear, selfishness, anger, and pain. We all make a difference in the here and now and because of that we all have an impact on eternity.
Helping each other creates a cycle of kindness that can overcome hate and negativity even if we don't remember the specific act or the specific person who started it. Evil starts a similar cycle but all the evidence I've seen says that most people I've met have an instinct for kindness when given even the smallest chance. Joelbear, you really do make a difference because you are here posting right now and long after we are dead and gone the cycles of our small kind acts, our sharing of experiance and knowledge, and human warmth will continue to ripple on to others who come after us. Despite how it might feel or the media may report it there is less suffering and death in the world today because of the many small efforts made throughout history by the people who are now long dead and "forgotten" because they left us their knowledge and love. We have less general violence, more prosperity, better medical care and pain relief, higher infant survival rates, and more effecient use of our resources than ever before and we still have an entire Universe to explore waiting to meet our needs if we just give ourselves a chance. Negative hate religions like the Watch Tower Society which revel in suffering will one day be designated to the ash heap of history like Communism was. The World is getting better. Just look at the past if you don't believe me. Ignorance and fear are slowly being displaced by knowledge and truth because of the efforts made by people just like you and me a little at a time. Metatron posts things all the time proving my point. Things are getting better because of human beings and not worse like the religions and negativists want us to believe. Please try and remember how important every kind person's life is to the future, especially your own.
Joel-
People are like farts. You definitely know when someone "cut the cheese". But after the bad smell disappears you forget all about it...maybe 30 minutes at most.
Joel, at least you smell better than a pass-gas. So, don't be too depressed.
