Ancient Egyptians believed you were asked a series of 42 questions (link) upon entering the Hall of Judgement; the location one travels to upon their death. These questions determined whether or not an individual would pass on to be reborn in the fields of Amenti – where the broken fragments of their soul could be reborn and given another chance at making things better in their next life.
Before one is quick to discount the Egyptian beliefs, I’d like to point out that the term “Amen” – commonly used at the end of religious prayers, is derived from the word “Amen-Ra” which is the divine Godhead in Egyptian beliefs; the combination of Amen and Ra.
Their tales included the final two questions one must answer before entering into the heavenly realm. How you answer these questions determines whether or not your soul enters heaven, or if it is to be reborn in the physical realm.
These are the questions:
”Have you discovered joy? Have you brought joy?
At the age of 31, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to a plethora of continents, countries, and cities. Each place I’ve traveled has given me a unique perspective into the cultures of people who look different than I do, speak a foreign language, and have different habits, values, and practices than american culture.
Every time I leave, my comfort zone is rattled a bit. Climate, cuisine, currency, and local languages all present unique obstacles that must be overcome. However, I’ve seen something special in many of these places:
Sustainability. Tradition. Culture.
Scientists recently discoverd cave paintings in Indonesia that have existed for over 40,000 years (link). In less than 300 years, the United States has quickly been ravaged by the impact of consumer materialism. If you’d like to take a look at the direction the US is going, one needs look no further than the putrid skies of China.
I’ve been there. There are no blue skies. As soon as you walk outside, you can feel the particles in the air enter your lungs, toxic and full of death.
In The Lorax, Dr. Seuss paints a grim reality of a world that has been ravaged by greed, consumerism, and a disregard for the environment.
“Unless somebody cares an awful lot, the world will not change. No, it will not.”
No, you don’t have to care. Fact is, the global elite would much rather have you be a herd of their sheeple than to raise your head and look around at the devasting, disgusting behavior that is going on in the world.
They would much rather you be glued to your television (more recently, your mobile phone) than to look around and have conversations with the people in front of you; rather than realize the person who looks different than you actually has a lot of things in common with you – the elements of life that are impacted by joy and love.
When I look at America, I see a rat race that’s been fed a boatload of lies, propaganda, and misinformation about what’s truly important.
People work 60-80 hours a week to provide a ‘better life’ for their family. A better life doesn’t mean having a car, or fancy clothing, or even a large house to live in. The best life you can provide for your children is to be present with them, share conversation, time, and love.
At the end of your life, will you look back on all of the long nights at the office and miss them? Absolutely not! You’ll look back to your moments, memories, and experiences. Often, these things are sparingly sprinkled throughout life; given the bare minumum of time alloted by ‘what’s left’ after a 9-5 (or 8-8) job, or squeezed into ten days of vacation per year.
Break the mold. Smash it to pieces. Pause to ask yourself, what things have brought me joy? When have I brought others joy?
- When is the last time somebody thanked you for your kindness?
- When is the last time you did something special for a child you didn’t know?
- When is the last time you shared tears in a conversation with somebody?
I don’t claim to know the answers to life. More often than not, I’ve found myself making countless mistakes. However, I do know this:
I have discovered joy, and I bring it to others ever single day. This isn’t to brag, or to boast, but to reflect the love and joy that’s overflowed in my heart ever since making a conscious effort to make every day better for myself and those around me.
Before you go to bed tonight, ask yourself one question:
”Did I bring joy to others today?”
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