I recently attended the funeral of a man that I knew. I always knew him to be kind, helpful and friendly. He battled long and hard with an illness that in the end, took him… But all that is not too unusual, as many pass from this world in this way.

What was amazing is that a guy, who worked at a neighborhood grocery store for nearly 30 year had 1500 people at his funeral. 1500 PEOPLE!! As incredible as it was for this non-assuming man to have a standing room only crowd to wish him goodbye, was the person after person that got up and shared words about how this humble man helped them, encouraged them and gave of himself to them. He was a volunteer at his kid’s school, his church and his community and in the end…it seemed he touched everyone he met and an unexpected multitude came out to wish him farewell.
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Today I was thinking of someone I meet named Doc Kyger here on at SLBuzz. He is an SL gambler from Texas. In reading some of his prior blogs he revealed how to play the cards you are dealt.

Which caused me to think…when presented with a set of circumstances how do you play your cards. Here is the scenario, you know exactly what the other person holds, you know their cards…and of course, you see your own cards. So as the bets are made you know exactly how the cards are being played. You in a sense, know the final outcome just not how the hand unfolds in the course of the game.
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You know, people are funny. In real life and second life. We do some of the strangest things for “only god knows” the motivations.

Is it just that we are used to worlds filled with cynicism and untruth. Has the media truly warped our minds? Why is it so hard to be friendly and polite without someone looking for ill will or bad intentions. Does every conversation carry an agenda…and purpose to an end game? And why is it particularly hard to admire someone for being exceptional, and letting them know about it, without receiving a reaction akin to “whoa..what’s going on here.”
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The most amazing thing happened today on SoHo. While picking up prims left by visitors we found 2 spy bugs! That’s right two spy bugs!! And what was even more astonishing, they were left by people we thought to be friends.

Now, I am going to take the high road here and not call anyone out. And I am also going to assume this was just a play and test run where clean up was forgotten.
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Why are choices in life so hard? Why is it we must always decide between vanilla or strawberry, blond or brown, luxury or thrift. It is said that “Life is Not Fair” and when one is faced with a difficult choice, one thing is chosen the other is not. It seems very rarely can one have their cake and eat it too, so to speak.

Could it be that someone, somewhere designed the entire thing to see what choices we would make? And if this is all by design, is our outcome predetermined? I mentioned in an earlier blog the notion of fate and destiny. If one prescribes to that notion, are the choices, really ours?
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Why is it when you are snapped by a rubber band you are often surprised? You fiddle with it, you stretch it, you play with it, wrap it around your finger and then…the grip slips so slightly and the band goes snap and a jolt of feeling goes through you and surprises you.

Isn’t life the same way? I had a long conversation with a dear person and experienced the proverbial snap of the rubber band as internally I realized how the best things in life are right before your eyes. Does the realization come from lack of focus? Possibly mis perceptions? Why does one chase one prize all the while not looking around for the things that bring happiness. When you really talk to someone for the first time and get a glimpse into their inner workings one can become astonished by what you find.
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Anyone who listens to live music in SL has heard Rich DeSoto play. He is one of SL’s most prolific and gifted performers.

I have heard his hit song “Avatar Girl” now at least a hundred times… And it was not until just a few days ago, did the song have any real meaning to me. Isn’t it strange how something familiar can become something relative in just a short period of time…