Astro Weekly: A mammalian emotion

We are in this together and it is going to kill us all. Regardless of the position we occupy in this world, whether we are basking in the glowing light of great success or recovering from an impact with rock bottom, we share the same fate.  Consciously aware of this fate, I’ve always wondered what keeps us going. I’ve reframed this question in my mind many times and have concluded that I really would not want it any other way. I would not trade my complex and sometimes conflicting emotions for anything—they are what make my life worth living.

It seems to me that nothing builds character more than working through a difficult emotional situation. These situations remind us of the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of the cosmos, and that each and every being brings us together in a way that is unparalleled. Indeed, much of the work that “good” people are doing is in an attempt to maximize the well-being for the greatest amount of people.

Another thing on human emotions — there is nothing as real. Even if we live in complete delusion as to what the universe actually is and why it is here, you cannot argue that I do not have conscious experience. And you cannot take from me what I have and am currently experiencing. Love lies at the pinnacle of powerful emotion. It fuels extreme effort, fulfills many individuals search for meaning, and without a doubt has the potential to shred the mind and body if it backfires. Love is such a mammalian emotion...and I'm glad to be an animal. I'm glad to be side-by-side with you and all of our fellow humans — because happiness isn't real unless it is shared. And whatever this is, if we're emerging from nothingness and descending to nothingness only to enjoy a few crystallized moments of this existence, I'm glad I didn't have to do it alone.

Love is a mammalian emotion — it will continue to break us down and build us up in a most painful fashion. I would have it no other way.