Sandbags for sanity

Some stuff to remember in the midst of all the nonsense

I'm writing this in hopes to nudge and uplift you and me towards a little better choices when it matters.
I have found that I rarely ever know anything but am reminded, and need to be, similarly as how eating one meal is insufficient to last a week, I need reminders. 
Each of us is a soul who has lived many lives, we have all died and soared free from mortality, and we have chosen again and again to return as an infant, washed in amnesia.  I know this better than most because such questions burned in me hot enough to thin the veil and I began to remember little things, like the two sons of my previous lifetime, memories that made me weep, the love so huge.  My total openness to this reality became a door that many deceased friends and family members have stepped through, and we have talked joyously, free from all grief of loss.  Recently a dear friend who passed under extremely confusing circumstances returned, and in our meeting, explained to me what had happened. 
I have seen enough of the other side, the beauty, the youth returned to my grandfather and step-father, I don't fear death anymore.  All I fear is making a dumb mistake that ends my life too soon.
Three of my good friends went down like that, truly beautiful guys.
Over 20 years ago, I had the grace of meeting a very enlightened teacher, and he gave me one lesson. He handed me a object carved in crystal, called "the hand of service"  and he said as follows
"It's very beautiful isn't it? Feel how hard the stone is.... that was not easy to make."

Death is somewhere else, it isn't vacuous or creeping, it in fact is bright and kind of laughing, but like the but of an inside joke, my friend we are here, and we must fight and strive for better.
It is not easy, but a actually good attitude makes all the difference.  I've gone through times in my life when I was riddled with doubt, and felt the panic of slipping from sanity, I felt toxic as though my presence was harming those around me, I felt trapped in a spinning wheel of repetition.  It was brutal, but it was all due to some things that had happened in my life that were confusing and rather traumatic and I just didn't yet have the time or experience to deal with it, to analyze it, to let it go.
A good attitude, and time given to that end, like a hike in nature or (fill in the blank) makes all the difference. 
I have found that life and the wellspring of rejuvenation is constantly trickling through a crack in my concern, flowing through a gap in my logic, rushing through the gate of my exhaustion.  I am baptized in the internal battery power to go hard at another day, every day.
If you understand nutrition then you simultaneously realize that most people aren't getting any, and yet they miraculously live. Eventually they may get very sick but regardless, they live, fueled as we all are on the pure and potent life force rich in every breath, the vital electricity of sunlight upon our skin, and water (like any battery is filled with).
We live by belief, even if it is wrong, and that is real grace. That is love built in to the framework of existence.

Now, as a sort of experiment, imagine yourself in a different life, one before the world dominance of banking elitists, a life within a large community or tribe.  Consider how the days would be spent, all the children playing together, the old men bullshitting, or carving something beautiful, old women weaving or making medicine, the rest doing some planting, some harvesting, some hunting or fishing.
There was no fear of making a family with the one you loved, there was time for it.

What have we lost, while thinking we have gained?

It's usually a good time for a trust fall, just let go of some attitudes or vices, make space for something to catch you, a book, a friend or a healthy habit. I will always suggest something involving endurance, like running ten miles but that like everything else is on you. 
Life, like some ten mile run is exhausting, hard, painful etc, but with a few deep breaths and a little stretching past our comfort zones its a cake walk.