As far as life and afterlife and the mysteries of the Universe are concerned, I tend to wonder, more than believe. There are so many possibilities, that I feel it would be limiting, ill-advised and possibly dangerous to settle on one definite conviction about what comes after death. To contemplate killing myself on the off-chance that the universe might operate a certain way seems to me unthinkable. When I came out to one of my colleagues, he said to me, 'Haven't you ever thought about just making the best of what you've got?' He meant, of course, trying to be happy in my female body. In actuality, by transitioning, I think I *am* making the best of what I've got. I'm doing the best I can, with what I've been born with, to have a fulfilling life. Just because that involves a name change and hormone treatment and surgery doesn't mean that I'm being churlish about what I was given originally - I'm just using what I was given to 'make the best of things.' If, as is entirely possible, our consciousness does carry on and come back in another life, in another form, then that's no reason, as I see it, not to give this 'go round' a damned good go. Things aren't going to be perfect in any existence. People are either poor, or chronically ill, or born into the wrong bodies, or clinically depressed, or bereaved, or physically disabled, or any number of difficult things. At the same time, there are elements of fortune that make life worth living. There are people you fall madly and mutually in love with, and art, and music, and humous, and Golden Retrievers, and friendship, and kitchenware, and literature, and Family Guy, and Hugh Laurie, and Fedora hats. I'm unlucky that I was born into a woman's body, when I have a man's brain. I'm lucky that I was born into a loving and understanding family. I'm unlucky that I was born with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and ended up in a mental hospital. I'm lucky that I had the strength and support to overcome it. I'm unlucky that I have very little money. I'm lucky that I'm not destitute and homeless. There's going to be a mixture of good and bad, difficult and wonderful, devastating and uplifting in any chimney you're dropped down. I don't feel able or willing to end this life on the off-chance that I might find a better one. As you'd probably guess, lol, I'd also take the first offer on Deal or No Deal
Plus, there's also the possibility that I might come back as Noel Edmunds. That, alone, rules out killing myself on the off-chance of reincarnation
Quote from: Randi on September 29, 2012, 02:47:41 PM
I've speculated that with transsexuals we might have been the opposite sex in a past life, and somehow treated the other sex badly, and are reincarnated in such a way as to learn a lesson.
I'm male assigned at birth, and don't like it one bit. I may have been female in a past life and somehow abused that gift. Could it be that I now have to learn what it is like to be male. To walk a few miles in a man's shoes? I feel that I was once female and am being punished by being given a male body.
Bizarre thoughts, but many people just feel this way. After all the christian bible says: "You must be born again!" What if they meant that literally?
Oh, my goodness! For some reason, that thought really disturbs me. I was freaked out big-time by the Divine Comedy, too, lol (though I love it). I know I've just said that I don't *believe* anything, lol, but I'd like to think we're not here as some kind of penance for a sin in a former life! And that the punishment would fit the crime, too - that would just be too cruel! I think that's what convinces me that that *wouldn't* be possible - it's just too poetic, lol. And real life is far messier
I must admit, though, that I have wondered (prompted by my Mum, who's very into Buddhism), whether I might've been a man in a previous life, and that's carried over into this one, although I have a female body. Although that's only really a passing thought - another part of my mind tells me I simply have a medical condition. Still, you never know.
And Jared, I really do hope you're alright. If you're ever feeling suicidal, please take comfort in knowing you have people who care about your wellbeing here, and do reach out to someone you know in the flesh, too, if that's possible. I hope you don't think I'm daft for saying this, lol! I know you've said you're not actually considering killing yourself, which is relieving, and just spectacular!
