Free to a Good Home

[slcraiders]

2 Cigar sampler available (not dog rockets) going out to a newb (less than 200 posts) and a vetetan in the community (greater than 200 posts). No post padding! Just answer the following question and I will judge for the best response. Contest ends on 7/16.

What do you find to be the most important aspect of life and why??

[badwhale]

James,

Thanks for the contest.

I thought about this tonight while monitoring our 8 and (almost) 2 yr old.

Things that popped in my head were "integrity, leadership, honesty" and then "family, friends, love, or higher power." After more contemplation, I decided that I would not be able to accurately describe why these things are important. So I offer the following:

Good chicken wings are the most important aspect of life. Why? Well, I don't eat them as often as I used to, but today I had some for lunch (garlic butter / medium hot with chunky blue cheese) and I really could not think about anything else in my life while those things were in my mouth. They were so delicious. So, I offer: Good chicken wings.

Will

[webmost]

Great-Grandchildren. GGs are the benchmark.

I have three. Got a new GG Zeke this Father's Day, in fact. If you can achieve GGs, you feel as though you have loved, lived, lasted, and done your part.

Children teach you what you are here for. Grandchildren teach you what you have accomplished. Great-grandchildren teach you why you must be ready to step aside. My high ambition now is to last long enough to ride my Indian motorcycle out to Utah 21 years from now, share a cigar and a beer with little Zeke and his cousin Oliver, and beat them both in a game of handball. Then I'll be ready to step aside and let them have the place for themselves.

The picture upload here sucks donkey dongs... otherwise I'd show you pics.

[GrouchM]

James,

Thanks for an interesting contest.

So, while I don't disagree with eating garlic chicken wings, leaving a legacy of your time here with fine progeny, but for me. A regular guy, in a world of amazingly regular people, I've come realize that from the myriad of potential answers, mine would be not the obvious, fufillment, compassion nor family or desire and passion. But, simple the gift of " connecting" as people with our fellow human being. The spark of humanity that allows people the ability to create art that evolks emotion from the millions who view it, to others using their voices to speak into a microphone on the TV and radio to report a historic event as we watch in awe, or the gathering of people in the town square to protest injustice so as to connect with others to effect change. As human beings, the aspect of effecting change to another's life through out ability connect as people is a powerful aspect of life.

-Tom

[ashauler]

Thanks for the contest James.
For me, the most important aspect of life is NOW.
NOW is the time to say those things that come to your mind.
NOW is the time to let those who have had a positive impact on you know that it's appreciated.
NOW is the time to right wrongs, and have those uncomfortable conversations.
NOW is the time to take that trip, or eat those wings, or build that treehouse, to stop weeding the garden to throw the ball for the dog.

NOW is what we have; nothing else is guaranteed.

[kingbeefy]

Thanks for the contest. I guess I would say gratitude. Being grateful relaxes everything quite a lot, and makes everything, every moment way more special.


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[craig]

What do you find to be the most important aspect of life and why??

Given how many people are looking at their phones everywhere/all the time, I'd say the Internet ... which is to say, being connected. Connected to the world, connected to your friends, connected to your family, connected to awesome porn, connected to ...

Note I am not saying "being connected" is the best aspect of life, or my favourite, or a great aspect - but most important. Even more important than eating, sh*tting, and sleeping.

Walking a a half mat. Sleeping, one mat. Rule the nation, a fistful of rice.

ETA: I didn't read through all the replies before posting. GrouchM already gave my answer, obviously.

[GrouchM]

@craig, no worries. No monopoly on great answers. Happy to see my philosophies are finding fertile ground. Happy to read your thoughtful words.

-Tom

[WinstonSpencer]

For myself the idea of "the most important aspect of life" is a temporal concept. It is a state of chaos and evolution simultaneously. Sometimes the most important aspect of life is just survival. Then it becomes routines and pleasure. I think it's really cool to even take a moment to ask the question literally. What is the most important aspect of life? For the past year or so (temporal) I have begun to find real happiness in life. After dissolving a toxic marriage I have had the freedom to pursue challenges and adventures that push me that much more to want to know the answer to the question in the first place.
Thanks slcraiders for the contest and the question.

[WinstonSpencer]

Thanks for the contest James.
For me, the most important aspect of life is NOW.
NOW is the time to say those things that come to your mind.
NOW is the time to let those who have had a positive impact on you know that it's appreciated.
NOW is the time to right wrongs, and have those uncomfortable conversations.
NOW is the time to take that trip, or eat those wings, or build that treehouse, to stop weeding the garden to throw the ball for the dog.

NOW is what we have; nothing else is guaranteed.

Jamie. Thanks for that. I feel you.

[TheGreekTitan]

Wow, fantastic answers so far. And, thank you for the thought provoking contest!

My answer is just One simple word, with a few examples of what I mean.

What do you find to be the most important aspect of life and why??

Moments...

I remember the Moment when I was in Kindergarden, and I was not wearing shoelaces. My teacher gave me a huge boot with big red laces to learn how to tie my shoes.

The Moment I entered my first game of spin the bottle was scary as hell, but I adjusted pretty damn well....That's what she said.

I've got vivid memories of excelling in sports, riding bicycles, dirt bikes and 3 wheelers (yep 3 wheelers), and man oh man you wanna talk about Moments?

Don't want to bore anyone, so I'll fast forward.......

Getting my stride, and actually starting to understand who I am. I figure out that....I decide what I want... And, how to get it...What a concept. That was a pretty big Moment.

At this point, I meet my absolutely, without a doubt, gonna be my wife! And, yes she still is and always will be. Continual Moments!

Married!!! Moment!!!

I learned I'm not very good at taking orders, and tell my boss goodbye. Now I have to call my brand new wife and tell her I'm unemployed. Um, that was a Moment!

Start a business, and never have to deal with a dick boss again....pretty good Moment.

Living life with my beautiful wife, awesome dogs (that are our children), I lose my Jasmine, and Holy Shit, that's a tough Moment....that I'll never truly get over.

Hit the lake, hit the mountains, hit the road, wow what Moments. Things just get more interesting every day. I think about the past often, but more often look forward to the future. What sort of Moments are upon my horizon?

Enjoy the Moments of life!!!!

Thanks again for the thread,
Christian

"We do not remember days, we remember Moments"
Cesare Pavese

[ggiese]

Great-Grandchildren. GGs are the benchmark.

I have three. Got a new GG Zeke this Father's Day, in fact. If you can achieve GGs, you feel as though you have loved, lived, lasted, and done your part.

Children teach you what you are here for. Grandchildren teach you what you have accomplished. Great-grandchildren teach you why you must be ready to step aside. My high ambition now is to last long enough to ride my Indian motorcycle out to Utah 21 years from now, share a cigar and a beer with little Zeke and his cousin Oliver, and beat them both in a game of handball. Then I'll be ready to step aside and let them have the place for themselves.

The picture upload here sucks donkey dongs... otherwise I'd show you pics.

This, my friend, was beautifully put! James - this post has my vote!

I raised my children and am now reaping the benefits of them being grown up (well,mostly... Two of my four kids still live with me - not a bad thing, but they are grown up fer cripes sake!). Two of my children had children - so I am blessed with grandchildren. Two of my grandkids live with me - and it is SO different interacting with them compared to the way I interacted with my children. It is very different than when I raising their parents - primarily because I so much enjoy grandkids being around! I find me doing things I never did with my kids - probably because when I raised my kids I was very wrapped up in gather my meager earnings just trying to keep the ship afloat! I'm not as cash strapped as when I was younger so I don't think that stress is there...

Great grandkids.... Well - I'd like to think I'm too young for that, but at least one of my grandkids is getting to an age that it may be a possibility. The wifey and I were talking about it - and your description of passing the torch is so true! I don't want my GG's memories to be about a grumpy old guy who sat in the corner babbling and farting... Not that I want to push it, but I do want to be young enough that I grow up with them and my GG's memories end with me and them drinking scotch, smoking cigars and talking about the "old days". A game of handball, though, might be a bit far fetched!

[CoventryCat86]

Great-Grandchildren. GGs are the benchmark.

I have three. Got a new GG Zeke this Father's Day, in fact. If you can achieve GGs, you feel as though you have loved, lived, lasted, and done your part.

Children teach you what you are here for. Grandchildren teach you what you have accomplished. Great-grandchildren teach you why you must be ready to step aside. My high ambition now is to last long enough to ride my Indian motorcycle out to Utah 21 years from now, share a cigar and a beer with little Zeke and his cousin Oliver, and beat them both in a game of handball. Then I'll be ready to step aside and let them have the place for themselves.

The picture upload here sucks donkey dongs... otherwise I'd show you pics.

You need to upload your photos to something like photobucket then put the photobucket url in the "insert image" feature here using "From URL" NOT "From Computer." Most BBs work this way.

Here's an example:


Now see, doesn't that look better than "Attached thumbnails?"

[cigarsarge]

Who won?

[webmost]

Oliver newborn:

On look at that pic, you know he must be breast fed.


Oliver recent:

Whereas here, the little scamp appears to be begging carbonated sugar water.

[badwhale]

Dem eyes are gonna draw the ladies!

[WinstonSpencer]

This guy won? Is he even old enough to smoke?


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[webmost]

This is the day Oliver discovered his tongue:


This is the day Oliver discovered a skateboard: