It just can’t be about the loud, brash, mostly ridiculous onslaught of inanity we come face to face with at every turn and as much as I’d like to embrace the Buddhist philosophy of all life being equal and interchangeably reincarnate, I am too sensitive to the inequalities to rub that belly.  I do embrace my personal “speck of dust” existence, although I admittedly and hypocritically often pursue comforts and possessions that do nothing to enhance or uplift other less fortunate specks.  So, this…we are finite.  If there is immortality, it’s in what we leave to those who live on past us.  If we are lucky enough to experience any moments of great joy in love and friendship and family, in the beauty of nature and art and music, we must likewise accept our measure of pain and loss, not as spiritual punishment, but as part of our biological journey.  We have this ‘free will’ thing that, as a species, we don’t use very responsibly, but if we strive to use that gift empathetically during our individually allotted time, maybe that might be meaningful.