Have you ever had something not work out like you thought? Maybe there was even something you did that prevented a project from going forward. Are there thoughts that you have had or things that you have done which you would rather others not know about? Think of how they would be disappointed in you. Think of how you would feel if they only knew! It would be a shame if others knew; or would it?

DEATH is the great equalizer. No matter how intelligent or wealthy or powerful you may be, the time will come when you will have to face death. We do not like to even talk about death because it is the end of life. Where there is death, there is no movement; there is no life. Death is separation from life. The great reality is that some day we all will die. The fact is that death is happening all around us every day. I saw the evidence of it as I drove home yesterday, noting a long funeral procession. By now, you have also likely heard that the influential and well known politician, Ted Kennedy has died (incidentally, exactly two months from a couple of other famous deaths I noted in my June 25, 2009 Blog). In addition, the news came yesterday of another two deaths in this Virginia Tech community. According to police, two Virginia Tech students were brutally murdered in an area of the Jefferson National Forest, not far from the campus. We all would do well to pause and further consider death. Just as importantly, we must further consider the life we are now living. Failing to properly do so is nothing more than a DEATH Wish.

I heard today about a troubling document that the U.S. Government VA (Department of Veteran’s Affairs) has been promoting—“Your Life, Your Choices.” This is a very important subject to think about and one that relates extensively to the current Health Care Debate as well as the freedoms that many of us see quickly eroding away. This news today follows an extended conversation I just had with a friend from work, where we even discussed these very ideas. In addition, the experience I have had on the college campuses over the years, along with my experience of tragedy within the mental health community, following the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, gives me a more unique perspective to address this very important issue.

I often marvel at the blindness and even foolishness of so many highly educated and intellectual people. In the news today, I heard of a new hope that many scientists have “to help us establish contact in ten years with the unknown.” The primary spokesman for SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence), Dr. Seth Shostak, spoke of his work with the ATA (Allen Telescope Array) located in northern California. Dr. Shostak is the senior Astronomer for SETI and a popular speaker in our society and on our college and university campuses. He is a well educated, self professing skeptic who runs a radio show and has even authored a serious, yet humorous book on his search for alien life. He said that in the end this is all basically “a numbers game.” He noted that we now know of around a trillion planets in our galaxy and over a hundred billion other galaxies. He mused, “If this is the only planet where anything interesting is happening, then you’ve got to say, ‘we’re special beyond imagining.’ That would be a real miracle.” In today’s blog, I will speak to this subject and what so many understand as “BEYOND Belief.”

Pencils, paper, rulers—all part of the staples ;-) needed for starting back to school. Parents and children know this well and college students do too, though their notebooks are more likely to be computers. School is beginning again for millions around this Country. This being an especially significant week of personal evaluation for me (both at work and for that court ordered process I am engaged in) and being a time of preparation for schooling and academic evaluation for so many, I am compelled to ask, “How are you Measuring UP?” This is a great question for reflection and learning and one you had better think further about to help prevent tragedies in your own life, even ones with eternal consequences.

In the sea of information today, TRUTH is often lost in the mix. Boats of opinions can be found everywhere and are even more numerous than the people who build them. It is easy to find yourself in the various boats of opinion being tossed about with waves of information. Consequences come from riding in the boats and also from standing on the TRUTH. What will you do? Will you seek the safety of riding in the boats of opinion or be willing to suffer the consequences of standing on the TRUTH? Your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are at stake and even more importantly, your eternal reward.

In the process of pursuing PEACE with all through my personal tragedy, I found myself yesterday sitting in a McDonalds off Peace Street in Raleigh, NC, right by Broughton High School where President Obama had just spoken. People and police were roaming everywhere and security was tight. As I enjoyed my lunch, noting all of the activity outside, I couldn’t help but think further about the allusiveness of PEACE in our Country and in the World. I thought about the pursuit of PEACE at Virginia Tech through the recently established Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, located in Norris Hall where the majority of people were killed on 04-16-07. I thought about the long standing desire for PEACE in war regions around the world and particularly in the often volatile Middle East. I thought about the typical goal of “World Peace” echoed by nearly every beauty contestant and media celebrity. I pondered the only way personal PEACE can be realized….

Likely in the past week, you have heard and even thought at least some about SPACE. July 20th was the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Many are talking about another trip to the moon and even further space travel. Conspiracy theories related to this are growing and some are still refusing to believe man has even ever gone to the moon (c.f. my 04-12-09 Blog, “The Tragedy of NOT Believing”). Whether or not we should spend more money going back to the moon, going to Mars or even further out into space is a separate question. You may have even heard about or seen pictures of the total solar eclipse that occurred yesterday (July 22nd) and how it particularly impacted the millions of Asian and Indian people who observed it. As I see many people SPACED OUT just now, I will take this opportunity to address the frequent underlying philosophy related to space exploration and travel—a philosophy steeped in tragedy.

If you have paid any attention to the media or even considered personal investment opportunities, you have likely heard about “The Gold Standard.” Many, especially in these difficult economic conditions, are personally investing in Gold. Gold is indeed one of the best time tested precious metals of value that proves to be worthy of ownership. The world is heading toward a unified currency (just as the Bible foretells and the news reports) and I can assure you that it will not simply be Gold (though, no doubt Gold will still have a place and value). I’m not writing this article today to talk about the physical investment aspect of this reality, but to challenge you to think with me about the spiritual Truth and reality.

This is the week when the United States begins confirmation hearings for the next potential Supreme Court Justice, Sonya Sotomayor. Whether or not you agree with this woman’s personal statements or previous policy judgments, you should appreciate her story of overcoming adversity and success as a Hispanic woman and a judge. I will not speak further to that here, but do wish to address the subject of Judgment and how there is clearly a coming judgment that we all will face! In fact, there are things that you should be doing right now to prepare….