CaroleOH: Two decades ago I did the same buying a few copies of that book to give to people, since that book gave me encouragement when I was single & lonely (22 years ago). Now I'm happily married with a daughter, I compiled a large Pinterest board on NDE, to prevent suicides & shed meaning to life: https://www.pinterest.com/clonewar/hope-for-the-suicide-near-death-experiences-nde/ Here're some excerpts from my Pinterest collection: " www.nderf.org/... Peter Russell's amphetamines NDE "The Spirit said "it was your fault that you died, because you were not looking after yourself. That is considered a form of suicide, and there is a penalty that must be paid. The Spirit then communicated; "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HURT YOURSELF OR ANYONE ELSE, BECAUSE YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE ARE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OF GOD". www.aleroy.com/... NDE No. 106 of a Catholic "My life appears before me in frames moving very fast. Not only do I experience my own life and emotions, but also what others around me are feeling. I experience their thoughts and feelings about me. I see the disappointment I have caused others and I cringe. I understand all the suffering I have caused and I feel it. My whole body begins to tremble. I see my selfishness and my heart breaks, the shame is overwhelming." The learning from NDE is what makes us better people, see excerpts from link below: http://the-formula.org/powerful-life-changing-near-death-experience-quotes/ By NDEr Mohammad Z "Another example of my life review was when I was a 10 years old boy. I had bullied and mercilessly beaten another boy who was also around my age. He felt tortured and deeply hurt. In my life review, I saw that scene again. When this boy went home to his parents, I saw the impact that seeing him in that state had on his parents. I felt the feeling and pain it created in them and how it affected their behavior from that point forward. I saw that as a result of this action, his parents would be always more worried when their son was out of home or if he was a few minutes late. I saw that whenever I had done something good to anyone or anything, that I had done it to myself. And whenever I had hurt someone, I had done it to myself while actually doing that person a favor because they would receive some form of compensation or help from the Universe as a result. This universal gift would be bigger than the damage I had caused to them…” — NDEr Mohammad Z By NDEr— Rene Jorgensen “I was able to look down and see myself, my own body. And then I experienced this light… this love, this joy, this peace… and then I also had what’s called a ‘life review.’ I went through all the episodes of my life where I had basically hurt other people. So I would go through episodes when I would be angry at my mother. I would experience it; I would be on the receiving end of my anger. I would be inside my mother and experience her pain. So I would experience the consequences of my actions. I also went back all the way back to forth grade where I was teasing a small girl. And this is something I had totally forgotten. She was a younger classmate, maybe second or third grade, and I was teasing her. She was against the wall and I was calling her names. But now I was inside her body; I was receiving my own actions .. And not only that, I would also feel the pain of her parents for realizing that their child would become inward, shy, and closed as a person. So I was basically experiencing the full consequences of my actions. So I experienced the full cycle, the chain of my actions… You really understand the consequences of your actions; you really understand what is harmful and what is hurtful to other people.” — Rene Jorgensen / Source http://the-formula.org/powerful-life-changing-near-death-experience-quotes/

I;m so glad I found this forum today. I lost my beautiful son Brian just over 3 months ago. he died Nov. 22nd 08 it was just after midnight and he was driving his date home when he was hit head on by @#$% showing of his car. Brian was only 18 years old and I am so devastated!!! he had just graduated high school only 5 months earlier. He had everything in the world going for him. His date lindsey is recorvering well, I would say thank god but i no longer believe. my son died saving her life.the police said Brian did everything he could to get off the road without crashing into this huge wooden planter. he could have gone off the road and he might have lived but she surly would have died. the @#$%ing monster still hasn't been arrested and i am so full of rage and sadness. I am married to my high school sweet heart Ricky we have 4 surviving kids Jenny age 26 Rick age 23 Rose age 17 Was 16 when it happened John age 15 was14 when it happened rose and John just had birthdays and all I could think was that one day they will be older than Brian. My husband and I were so heartbroken we couldn't even help plan his funeral. My daughter did everything. and I know she did the best she could but I feel more should have been done. over 600 people came to his wake.It was like a horrible blurry dream. I really can't remember much. It was so over whelming. all these people, alot I didn;t even know all wanted to hug me and express ther condolenses even his kindergarden teacher was there. and I promised Brian I would not embarress him so kept my "game face" on but the whole time I just wanted to scream my head off. Brian was the kind of person who made friends everywhere he went. I'm glad with all my heart he was so loved but I'm still freaked out It was so over whelming. I still can't leave my house. I feel like everyone is staring at me. I know they're not. I never went back to work. It's only been a few months but I feel so bad. I hate laughing i feel so guilty that every time I have a "good day" i just punish myself for the next few days. We buried Brian the day befor thanks giving. His birthday was the day before xmas eve. I wanted him cremated because I can not bear to think of his beautiful face rotting in that box. his father brothers and sisters refused. I have not visited his grave since valentines day and i told my husband i'm never going there again. his grave is covered with dead frozen flowers stuffed animals letters pictures and un opened xmas and birthday presents it looks like a garbage dump. people say the stupidest things like what a nice gadrden he'll have. I can't dig in the soil knowing my little boy is in there. I no longer believe in god My son was such a great kid. he was all boy. If there is a god why my son?!!! why not the @#$% that did this to him. and why isn't he aressted? He had 3 other kids in his car( the @#$%) all including him were in the hospital for weeks one boy(not sure if this is a roumer) is in a wheelchair for life. and all the roumers are so @#$% crazy. I'm sorry this is so long. I have no one to talk to .my so called friends don;t understand. I still can;t talk on the phone. I spend my days all alone crying. I know Brian would not want me to be this way but i just can;t stop. Thanks for listening to a mothers broken heart. Laura i'm sorry if i sound crazy but i am so lost.

"So, do you think there is any choice on how happy of a person you are? If so, how much is choice, and how much is the cards we are dealt?" I think that you are considering two separate aspects of life. One is your outlook/disposition, how you view life, how you interact with society. The other is the overall sense of living a "happy life". How a person presents themselves to others and how they deal with daily lifeÂs challenges is certainly a choice, but it is also a learned skill. I believe that a child is born with a predetermined disposition. (Some folks are happy all the time and others grumpy, many are neutral) A child learns how to deal with success, disappointment and challenges as they grow. An adult that is more self aware can choose how to react to situations. "Am I going to let other peoples negative actions bother me, or let it roll off and move on?" Is having a positive or negative demeanor and outlook helping me or hindering me in acquiring my goals? Our environment can also affect how we feel and cope. If we have a negative individual that we must deal with daily, then we must decide if we will accept that negativity into our lives (let it bother us) or if we will choose to let it roll off, avoid them, whatever. This can be really challenging when this person is someone you live or work with. Whether a person is living a "happy life" I think depends more upon the level of satisfaction that we attain regularly. If we are satisfied with what we have, what we have accomplished, do we set goals to improve our lot in life (being proactive), do we receive pleasure by helping other and so forth. Perhaps the question is "what factors help determine a happy life?"

*The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition* How he is right there - and how sometimes a human shines in perfect harmony with the universe and may not even know it. Thank you for today's enlightenment, Don