Jande - Good thoughts, but I question the "when you are famous" bit. That is a chimera that has led more good people astray in this life than I would care to mention. I think the only famous people who remain at peace are those who come to realize that fame is itself quite meaningless.

The 99.999 % who don't become famous are usually miserable because they did not. The 0.0001 who do are often miserable because they did, and then found out that they were still not fulfilled...or secure...in spite of it. The same kind of thing tends to happen to people who win huge lottery prizes.

What fame amounts to is: pleasing other people. Their pleasure is usually rather fleeting...and very demanding. To continue pleasing them can become a full time job.

What does this have to do with knowing oneself? I believe that freedom is found through self-knowledge. Most people don't know themselves very well at all...they're too busy trying to manipulate and control what and whom they see around them. But can they control themselves? Usually not very well. If anyone truly knew himself/herself he would no longer be afraid of anything, and he would be in control, and free.

I'm making no claims of having achieved that, be assured. I don't claim to know myself all that well yet, but I know that if any freedom is to be found in this world it will be found within me, not in the conditions and people around me.

Fame is a grand illusion. It kills people while they're still young.

Amos - Well, sorry, but not a chance in THIS life. I would rather be dead than be married. Check for me again next incarnation when the game plan may be quite different from now. As for other people, if marriage suits them (and in many cases it definitely does), then for sure I hope they find the best partner destiny can provide for them. Any female who married me would have to be seriously out of touch with reality, and I'd have to be right out of my mind to let it happen in the first place. I treasure my autonomy and will not live in a cage, no matter how comfortably it is furnished.

- LH