Section 18: Love and Happiness
The annual Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate, held at the American Museum of Natural History, features top scientists debating controversial topics such as whether the Earth is unique in the universe or if the speed of light can be surpassed. The 2016 debate, "Is the Universe a Simulation?" was particularly intriguing, but topics like these typically don't have a clear conclusion.
In theory, it's possible to simulate the universe within a computer program since the universe follows strict physical laws and mathematical logic. However, the challenge lies in writing such a massive program and finding a "super-duper" computer capable of accommodating the universe and responding at the speed of light.
If "The Dream of the Yellow Millet" were developed into a game software, it would theoretically be feasible as well. However, the key is that there must be people playing the game software. If only the Creator of the Universe was playing alone, we could indeed be in the game. Each person's feeling of independent "self-consciousness" is a command from God or the game software. But I don't believe God would find this interesting. Therefore, I believe that God shares His consciousness with all life forms, evolving and competing through each independent consciousness to create the colorful and magnificent world we have today. If every life form has its own independent consciousness, it is not a simulation, but a real life.
I hypothesize that when God decided to share His consciousness and create the world through the principle of "survival of the fittest" (as discussed in Section 7), the primary directive of the soul was "survival," with "love" and "happiness" as the most vital components of the inner layer.
"Love" can eliminate the boundaries between two independent individuals while still maintaining their unique characteristics. Only through "love" can the competing and surviving spirits of each other come back together like fallen leaves returning to their roots, bringing their own experiences and creations, enriching the great spirit of God.
Seth has said: All biological cells have the essence of love, akin to being interconnected on the internet.
Have we ever contemplated the white blood cells coursing through our veins? Their life cycle in blood vessels ranges from a few hours to a few days. They quietly enter the stage, vanquish viruses for us, and then exit silently.
And look at the sky and the earth around us; they are ceaselessly giving, nourishing all life.
It appears that love is everywhere!
However, the pressure of the competition for survival is all-encompassing, to the point where one cannot feel love.
Pure love is entirely selfless caring, giving, or sacrifice. The object of love may be a person, a group, or even a religious belief. Throughout history, there have been instances of risking everything for a friend, forsaking family for the country, and dying for faith.
Usually, we mix love with other desires to create a cocktail, such as the fusion of love and sex, which becomes romance.
We exalt maternal love as the greatest form of selfless love. Indeed, parental love is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, enabling the transmission of life.
I believe that during the parenting period, maternal love is wholly selfless. However, as children grow older, many "selfish" emotions taint the purity of "love," otherwise, there would not be any mother-in-law problems.
To rediscover pure and enduring love, one must begin with "loving oneself." "Loving oneself" does not entail reverting to selfishness. People who do not know how to love themselves cannot love others for long.
For instance, with maternal love, as children gradually mature, a mother who can no longer experience the pure joy of "giving" should start living a self-centered life. Do not devote one's entire life to children, and familial affection can last.
From falling in love to marriage, the process remains the same. Before loving someone else, it is essential to transform infatuation into self-love and prioritize oneself. Only then can a mutually satisfying and long-lasting relationship be formed.
To expand on this idea, one should begin by loving oneself and then cultivate universal love for all beings. When one has enough self-love, they can love others without expecting anything in return. Without this, love cannot sustain, and hatred can arise from unrequited love.
How does one love oneself? Section 14 of "Cultivating amidst the Ordinary World" has already discussed this in detail. The key is not to set behavioral limitations, overly concern oneself with others, and live only for others.
To become one's own best friend, acceptance of everything about oneself is essential, followed by using encouragement instead of self-blame to reflect and improve.
Ask yourself frequently, "Am I happy?"
"Happiness" is the test agent for the "talent" in the soul. Beethoven would not have been happy painting, and Van Gogh would not have been happy composing.
God implanted the feeling of "happiness" in the soul to guide everyone to exert their maximum creativity and achieve the highest satisfaction. Only by doing what makes you happy can you achieve lasting happiness and the greatest self-realization.
Unfortunately, most education systems do not value students' happiness. Even now, some cultures oppose people's pursuit of happiness.
However, only happy people can love for an extended period. At the same time, love can make people happier.
Although God's commandment for life began with "survival of the fittest," I believe that He surely hopes to see more and more planets in the universe where intelligent beings live in happiness and love, without any competition.
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