Considering My Life

Monday was Yom Kippur.

Senior year in high school I wondered aloud why turning down the corner of a pledge marker during the service was allowed, since it was obviously work and dealing with money. 

Freshman year in college I broke the fast at an all you can eat chicken place.

Junior year I sat on my bed and contemplated my life, then went out with TBG and had a great time, with only a modicum of guilt.

I could always find a free place to pray with others as I aged, although the urge to do so has withered on the vine.  

Not so the need/desire/opportunity/tradition that has me spending a good portion of today thinking about my life, my friends, my community, my country, the air that we breathe, and the coming AI Apocalypse.

Where do I fit in?  What can I do better?  How scared should I be and what should I do about that?

It's an interesting exercise, having nothing to do with bribing God to inscribe me in the Book of Life for another year.  I'm not living to prove myself to anyone but myself.... although I wouldn't mind if an Almighty Being should take note.

*****

My favorite explanation for the existence of something outside ourselves is in this joke Daddooooo used to tell:

A scientist confronts God. “Listen, we’ve decided we don’t need you anymore. These days we can clone people, transplant organs, and do all sorts of things that used to be considered miraculous.”

God replies, "How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make a human being.”

The scientist agrees, so God declares they should do it as he did in the good old days when he created Adam.

“Fine,” says the scientist as he bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.

“Whoa! Not so fast" says God   “Get your own dirt.”