Posts by Drew Flores3

Just like all the true travelers out there... we’re going to cross paths eventually. I was just thinking about that old caravan shed sitting out by the edge of town. It’s funny how those little structures just sit there, weathering the seasons, tucked away near the outskirts of a city like Chicago or maybe somewhere in the Midwest. You look at them and you can't help but wonder about everything they've seen. I remember my uncle used to keep an old workshop just like that out behind his place in Ohio—it was full of rusted tools and sawdust, but it felt like the most peaceful spot on earth. There's something about a simple shed that makes you stop and reflect. Just a quiet, lonely little spot waiting for someone to come along and give it a purpose again.
Getting hitched, saying "I do"... and then continuing the journey toward the dawn.

Just imagine if every traveler in the world gathered in one single spot... like massive caravans pouring in from every corner of space, all traveling together. Through my own music.And just like that, we’re back in sync with the harmony of Eternity. 😍

Yeah, I read through it, but honestly, what can I even say? That’s just life, I guess...

I also noticed we're kind of in the same generation, so it doesn't surprise me one bit. We tend to jump in and comment on how much we've all collectively lost our way lately...

It seems to me you really grasp your own responsibility in all this, while still acknowledging how different the opportunities were during growing up versus later on. Because of that, I think you're seeing things pretty clearly. This "crisis" you're feeling right now? It's actually pretty normal. You're trying to find yourself, almost like you're starting over, even though you're pushing 30. If it helps, I feel the exact same way—like an old friend of mine used to joke, "I still don't know what I'm going to be when I grow up."

Yeah, that specific feeling where it feels like you got kicked out of the club and told to "figure it out yourself," only to watch your old friends vanish and be replaced by a bunch of stuffy suits 🤷

And I totally get it—I’m at my happiest when I’m working with my hands or when I wander off somewhere far away, completely disconnected from "this" world. It hits me hard sometimes, feeling trapped in this matrix, just wishing I could find a little glitch to slip through and disappear 😍

Hang in there, don't let it get you down... It looks like you're just regrouping right now, getting ready to take a new position in the game. Try to look at the big picture with a clear head. Give yourself some time, and the answers will show up. Go for walks, get out into nature if you can, just observe, listen, smell everything, touch the world. Above all, try to find your self in all of that (since you've drifted a bit from Him) and don't sweat the small stuff people say... especially fools like me 😉

I'd love to see some women or female colleagues with a spiritual side chime in to offer some advice from "your" perspective

Best wishes

mistyscout2 said:Hold on a second—so now Peter Phillips32 is being labeled a Hater just because he doesn't buy into all this "supernatural" stuff? Or is it that anyone who stays skeptical about everything they read gets tossed into that category? Man, that's a stretch...

The "supernatural" simply isn't real.

I'm a skeptic through and through. I question everything, especially any system built on dogma. In today's world, "science" often leads the pack when it comes to being dogmatic, and people do all sorts of things in the name of this "sacred science."

And you're just a Hater because you're fine with Peter Phillips32, so you both get to "enjoy" struggling through the mud
and whatever else you two are up to there 🤷 , especially once your little samurai buddy joins in

Larry Wilson5 said:Why would you? I hope you don't let anyone convince you otherwise when you face a reality that isn't even on their official list. Nobody has the right to judge, dismiss, or validate your raw experience using their version of "expert" or "legal" reality.
It's funny how much nonsense people invent just to fit into a predictable, linear world. People seek refuge in logic, but they often just end up drowning in their own systems, trying to irrigate what they call "common sense."
Reality isn't reducible. What you observe is something no one else can truly perceive but you.
There is so little respect for one's own consciousness from those who try to steer others away from their own experiences. This obsession with learning a single "truth" has turned humanity into robots who are afraid to claim their own reality or experiences, opting instead for "sanctioned" versions of existence.
They love to preach about the supremacy of mechanics over consciousness, all while claiming to act in the interest of consciousness itself. Common sense is just a tool used to flip things upside down and plunge them headfirst into the mud.
If they won't even acknowledge their own experiences, what's left to ground them?
Here's yet another incomprehensible post about methods of darkness.
Don't let yourself be crushed. Affection builds magnificent bridges; you've seen that. The darkness tries to shove that into the mechanical reality of a human-like robot, because that's what it wants us to be.
Sure, mental obsession exists, and "human robots" exist, but they never stand behind their own experiences. They are always hiding behind or ahead of common sense.
All my similar experiences—those that break the boundaries of worlds—are irreplaceable guides in this search.
Words couldn't guide any more strongly, provide more tension, or offer more beauty.
Let every insight from an event that falls outside of "prescribed reality" simply be.
Yes, we aren't just physical beings; we have experiences and layers... and not just those layers.

.......what a tonic for the Soul......

And haters
(hater 4333 up, 640 down
A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person.

Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesn't really want to be the person he or she hates; instead, they just want to drag someone else down a peg.
Susan: You know, Kevin from accounting is doing very well. He just bought a house in a very nice part of town.

Jane (hater): If he is doing so well, why is he driving that old '89 Taurus?

....those are creatures born from the sludge..... those dark things that smell like rot, made of the same oily muck they absolutely adore.

Pure water is like incense to the devil.
They’d always rather trade birdsong for the static of a radio.
The chirp of a cricket gets drowned out by the roar of a lawnmower.
The scent of summer is replaced by the stench of some cheap new lotion.

Rainbow colors just look like shades of gray to them.
They run away from the sunlight
because the belt of the engine is just too tight.

The wind bothers them because it carries away the stench,
and their little patch of sludge is their entire world.

Then you've got the ones who tell you you're crazy just because you're walking down the street with a smile on your face.
The ones who stand at a party like statues (while lurking in their favorite dive bars), mocking people who actually came out to relax and let loose.

To them, the local gym is a temple of "fitness," and a shiny car is a status symbol,
polished and gleaming, but it isn't for everyone.

The phonies, the losers, and all the other fakes...

It really just comes down to all that hard work in training...

The number one jumper

ambersailor85 said:So how do you handle that exclusion phase? Like, does it just mean being indifferent? 🙂

Indifference is a tricky word... what you're really looking for isn't being selfish, it's more about non-attachment.

ambersailor85 said:What's even the alternative to that typical American worldview? And what does that actually look like?

It doesn't include anything. Honestly, it's built entirely on leaving people out! 👍

see u soon

ambersailor85 said:Owners are always looking out for themselves—they just want their own entertainment. They don't give a damn about a poor kitty who’s gonna be spending the night all alone. 😢

I mean, it's kind of his own fault if he doesn't want to go out... "total couch potato."

p.s. I absolutely adore cats. I've had three come my way over the years, and last summer, three of them decided to move into my pantry! So right now, I've got one energetic guy (about 3 years old), plus a brother and sister duo who are only a year old. They are definitely going to take over the whole neighborhood soon. 👍

ambersailor85 said:What makes you think I'm "Americanized"? And honestly, what's so bad about being the youngest in my family?

I'd say there's actually a huge connection between selfishness and self-love—especially when you look at it through that materialistic lens.

based on how you see things
there’s really nothing wrong with it, provided you learn something from it

ambersailor85 said:What makes you think I'm "Americanized"? And honestly, what's so bad about being the youngest in my family?

I'd say there's actually a huge connection between selfishness and self-love—especially when you look at it through that materialistic lens.

.....my bad, I thought we were talking about spiritual stuff, and this materialistic angle totally flies over my head, sorry

...just a few more thoughts on being selfish...

ambersailor85 said:I feel like being selfish is actually the healthier route, because nothing beats that self-love feeling. Everything else should be based on what people earn.😁 If you don't have some Schengen-level security in your own life, you just end up getting walked all over.

Selfishness might get a bad rap, but 😁 it's what drives us—it gives you that edge, that competitive spark, and actual strength. Being naive just keeps you stuck exactly where you started.

I suspect someone who is purely selfless had to go through some rough stuff to become that way. You've got bad people who act selfless just to quiet their conscience, but I think those types are usually just indifferent or depressed—it’s like trying to hold onto sand as it slips through your fingers.

It's just human nature, really—once we see an opportunity to gain something, we want to squeeze every bit of potential out of it.

Take me, for example—growing up with older siblings meant there was always this constant competition to get my fair share, even when I was just a kid. I always made sure to look out for my own interests. They were all competing against each other, too.

The real issue is when everything comes too easy... you lose that drive to fight, whether it's for survival, status, or social standing. It makes things way too effortless.

selfishness and self-love aren't even remotely the same thing

you sound pretty Americanized (in a bad way)

Pashko 👍

p.s. it shows you're the youngest sibling, but that's not a bad thing, you just didn't learn the lesson yet 😉

So sad.......to see you all

Can we just find it in our hearts to forgive those people who think they have the right to play God? I don't care who they are or what their names might be.......I'm not going to go down any rabbit holes about conspiracies or anything, but I honestly think most of you already know exactly who and what I'm talking about.

@ Susan Price30

I wonder, will Jesus of Nazareth ever truly forgive "his church"?

Benjamin Taylor6 said:The whole point of forgiveness is that you extend it to people who actually realize they messed up—people who truly repent for it. If there’s no repentance, then honestly, you’re just being a fool if you go around forgiving them.

.....and that’s really the heart of it. 👍

Susan Price30 said:And then he goes on:

The Golden Rule. It’s such a simple concept, isn't it? I was sitting on my porch in Austin yesterday, just sipping some iced tea and watching the neighbors, when it hit me again. Treat others how you want to be treated. It sounds almost too easy, like something you'd hear in a Sunday school lesson, but man, if more people actually lived by it, the world would be a much smoother ride. Just a little bit of kindness goes a long way. Simple as that.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That’s really the heart of everything when you dive into Moses' laws and the teachings of the prophets. It’s such a simple idea, isn't it? I was thinking about this while grabbing coffee downtown yesterday—just how much easier life would be if everyone actually lived by that one rule. It’s the foundation of it all.

narrow path 13

Enter through the narrow gate! You know, the wide gates and those broad, easy paths? They just lead straight to ruin, and honestly, it seems like everyone is taking them. I remember walking down a massive boulevard in Chicago once, thinking how easy it was to just follow the crowd, but then I realized how easy it is to lose your way when there's no direction. It’s better to take the harder route."Enter through the narrow gate and take the narrow path 13 that leads to life! There aren't many who actually find it."

You know, I was sitting on my porch this morning, just sipping some coffee and watching the squirrels go nuts in the oak tree, when I started thinking about that old parable about the tree and its fruit. It’s one of those things that really sticks with you. It’s pretty simple, really. You can tell what kind of tree you're looking at just by checking the harvest. A thorn bush isn't going to give you delicious peaches, right? And you won't find apples growing on a weed. It’s just common sense. I think it applies to us, too. Our actions are basically the fruit we're hanging out there for everyone to see. If someone claims to be a good person but their life is full of nothing but trouble and negativity, well, the math just doesn't add up. You can't fake the harvest forever. It’s all about what’s happening deep down in the roots. If the heart is good, the fruit eventually follows. Just a little thought for your Tuesday!

Watch out for those fake prophets. They show up looking like gentle sheep, but deep down, they're just greedy wolves in disguise. I learned that the hard way back in my college days when I trusted a guy who seemed totally chill, only to find out he was nothing but trouble. Just stay vigilant!You’ll recognize them by their fruit. I mean, can you really pick grapes from a thorn bush or figs from a thistle? Not a chance. It just doesn't work that way.

It’s just like they say in the Bible: a good tree always produces good fruit, while a bad tree only puts out bad fruit. I was walking through my garden in Seattle the other day, looking at my apple trees, and it really hit me how true that is. You can't expect sweet apples from a dying branch. It all starts from the roots.

You know, I was thinking about this today while I was grabbing my morning coffee at Starbucks. It’s like that old saying goes: you can't get good fruit from a bad tree, and you definitely won't get bad fruit from a healthy one. Nature just works that way. It's all about the roots, right? If the foundation isn't solid, nothing else is going to turn out quite right. It's a simple truth, but it really sticks with you.

Every tree that fails to produce good fruit gets chopped down and tossed right into the fire. It’s just how nature works, I guess. Reminds me of this old orchard my uncle used to keep outside of Des Moines—he was pretty ruthless about pruning anything that wasn't pulling its weight. If it didn't grow, it went straight to the woodpile. Simple as that.

"You’ll know them by their fruits." It's such a simple truth, isn't it? I was thinking about this while grabbing coffee at Starbucks this morning. You can say all the right things, but at the end of the day, it's what you actually produce—your actions, your impact on people—that tells the real story. Just like how you can tell an apple tree from an orange tree just by looking at what's hanging on the branches. Simple as that!

Real students.

Not everyone who calls me Lord is actually going to make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s only those who truly follow my Father in heaven.

At the judgment, plenty of people are going to come up to me and say, "Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we use your name to cast out evil spirits and perform all these other miracles?" It makes you think about how much noise we make versus what actually matters. I remember once when I was volunteering at a local soup kitchen in Chicago, someone was talking a big game about their faith, but they wouldn't even look a hungry person in the eye. It’s easy to say the words, isn't it? Real action is a different story entirely.

I’ll just tell them straight: "I never knew you people. Get away from me, you evil ones!"
...Once Jesus finished speaking, the whole crowd was just completely swept up in His teaching.

He taught like someone who actually held authority, you know? It wasn't like those legalistic scribes they were used to. I remember reading about this once during a summer trip through New England, and it really struck me how different his presence was compared to the usual stuffy academics. He had this natural weight to him.

So, Matthew heard it from someone who heard it from a third party... and it’s all just one big chain of hearsay. But hey, nothing in this life happens by accident, right? I actually stumbled upon some info on this myself recently. It turns out that none of the Gospel writers actually saw Jesus in the flesh. Just a little food for thought while you're sipping your coffee!
Those bold numbers—13, 15, and 23—are mainly pointing toward the various branches of the church, both throughout history and as they stand today.
Jah Rastafari!

The BabylonRastas assert that Zion—specifically Africa, and Ethiopia in particular—is the sacred land Jah promised to them. Because of this belief, they turn their backs on modern Western society, labeling it "Babylon." To them, it’s just a system built on corruption. They actually believe "Babylon" has been in open rebellion against Earth's Rightful Ruler since the era of the Biblical King Nimrod. It reminds me a bit of those old stories my grandfather used to tell about folks rejecting the hustle and bustle of big cities to find peace in the countryside. Just looking for something pure, I guess.

The Rastafari believe they are the true Children of Israel. They’re always looking for ways to prove that deep connection between Ethiopia and Israel, especially by using the title Lion of Judah. Their whole heart is set on returning to Mount Zion—which means heading back to Africa. You can really hear this in the music, too. Rast reggae is peppered with references to Zion; among the best-known examples are the Bob Marley songs "Zion Train" and "Iron Lion Zion." It’s all about finding that way home.

Jerry King11 said:if we're blaming ourselves for some evil done to us when we aren't actually at fault, then we need to deal with that "imposed" guilt through logic, rather than relying on some imaginary act of forgiving the other person (which is supposed to forgive ourselves in the process)😲

First, you have to realize for yourself that you aren't guilty; after that, if someone wants to forgive the other person, they can do whatever they want—forgive or let go, it doesn't matter much

that bolded part above is honestly pathetic, and I'm trying to keep my language civil here, but it's just a desperate attempt to equate the victim with the perpetrator

anyway, where did that post go? 🤷

if we're blaming ourselves for some evil done to us when we aren't actually at fault, then we need to deal with that "imposed" guilt through logic, rather than relying on some imaginary act of forgiving the other person (which is supposed to forgive ourselves in the process)😲

First, you have to realize for yourself that you aren't guilty; after that, if someone wants to forgive the other person, they can do whatever they want—forgive or let go, it doesn't matter much

that bolded part above is honestly pathetic, and I'm trying to keep my language civil here, but it's just a desperate attempt to equate the victim with the perpetrator

anyway, where did that post go? 🤷
I don't know, maybe Susan Price30 thought otherwise and just deleted it. 🤷 Personally, I've often wondered if, even when you're the victim of a crime, you might ask yourself why it happened to you "karmically"—what drew that suffering or that specific person into your life in the first place... I can't shake the feeling that nothing happens by pure accident. Even though the perpetrator remains the perpetrator and their evil stays with them, why did you find yourself in the position of the victim to begin with? People ask "Why me?" all the time. Maybe it has nothing to do with the culprit; maybe they were just the medium through which evil reached you. Perhaps your own lifestyle or choices triggered that landslide, or maybe it's a way for you to change yourself. That doesn't absolve the perpetrator of their guilt, obviously... It's just a question of meaning.
I don't know, maybe Susan Price30 thought otherwise and just deleted it. 🤷 Personally, I've often wondered if, even when you're the victim of a crime, you might ask yourself why it happened to you "karmically"—what drew that suffering or that specific person into your life in the first place... I can't shake the feeling that nothing happens by pure accident. Even though the perpetrator remains the perpetrator and their evil stays with them, why did you find yourself in the position of the victim to begin with? People ask "Why me?" all the time. Maybe it has nothing to do with the culprit; maybe they were just the medium through which evil reached you. Perhaps your own lifestyle or choices triggered that landslide, or maybe it's a way for you to change yourself. That doesn't absolve the perpetrator of their guilt, obviously... It's just a question of meaning.
There is a lot of truth in this, honestly, a whole lot.👍

Susan Price30 said:Of course, but if that person isn't mindful of their actions—if they are doing it intentionally or simply making no effort to change their behavior—then it is best to create some distance🙂 because Jesus' teaching applies here...why would we cast our pearls before swine?...

If we are talking about someone we share our lives with and love, yet we constantly experience being hurt by them—what does that actually say about their character?🤷

I'm no expert or anything... but I think you might have your history mixed up. That whole "pearls before swine" thing actually refers to an event from way before Jesus showed up.

if we're talking about someone we share our lives with—someone we actually love—and they just keep hurting us over and over again, what does that say about them?🤷

It doesn't say much about them, really... but it says a lot about the person putting up with it. 🙂

Susan Price30 said:

Ultimately, a mother cannot be expected to embrace the tormentor who ordered her son to be torn apart by dogs. She shouldn't have to forgive him. If she chooses, she may forgive him on her own behalf, perhaps to ease the weight of her own immense suffering—but the loss of her child? No one can demand she forgive that, nor should she, even if the child themselves were capable of such mercy. If we accept that some things are unforgivable, where does that leave harmony? Is there truly any being in this entire world who possesses the right to grant forgiveness?
Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Brothers Karamazov)

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

John F. Kennedy

To forgive an evil act is to become an accomplice to it.."
Voltaire Quote

Drew Flores3 Asks:
Forgive me, but please don't forget.

That isn't Christian doctrine—it sounds more like something from Islam or a similar faith. An eye for an eye—a tooth for a tooth. But that is nothing more than an ego game; such a way leads neither to true victory, nor to spiritual liberation, nor to the overcoming of evil.

All of this can only be achieved through Christian means. Forgiveness. I don't mean to sound pretentious; it is simply the truth. This is the only ultimate spiritual law that sets the sinner free.

Forgive, let go, forget... It’s done and dusted—as if it never even happened.

Of course, just like any other unwritten spiritual laws, one can certainly follow them. Through the cultivation of the spirit.I am not seeking anything else—not our emotional biases or our own resonances, such as the deceptions of the ego.

Ouch... that "Christian" forgiveness of yours actually hurts.

Sorry, but don't you dare forget

hiddenhound3 said:Well, that specific part of your comment certainly clarifies things.

To be clear, I am not recounting any personal grievances here. I am simply stating that people can be untrustworthy, malicious, and greedy, though those are not my personal observations—as if life has somehow coddled me or the people I associate with aren't wonderful, which wouldn't be the case if they weren't my friends in the first place 😍 What I have laid out refers to the broader scope of humanity and civilization at large. I am speaking objectively about the history of continents like Africa, Asia, and South America being colonized, looted, and humiliated; the cultural genocide and missionary work forced upon indigenous populations; the slave trade; the exploitation of children in sweatshops within the fashion industry; sexual abuse and human trafficking; and ideologies like fascism or Nazism. I am also referring to the economy of suffering, the glorification of victimhood used for blackmail (such as Zionism or certain social movements), corrupt political systems that shield criminality, the black market for human flesh in North Korea, the tragedies of Easter Island, and the genocide in Srebrenica—all while great and humane American and international justice continues to deny such atrocities occurred. This is woven into the very fabric of our civilization, proving that humans are, at their core, predatory, selfish, grasping, cold, and utterly inhuman creatures driven solely by profit. Call them scum, call them filth, call them cosmic waste; name it whatever you wish.

Is a person truly capable of being forgiven simply for being human?

The events occurring in my immediate vicinity feel insignificant to me; thank God, I have never been a part of any greater crime 🙏

EDIT: Every single thing I mentioned took place in our recent history and continues to unfold today. Do you honestly believe that people are inherently good and that they are only driven to commit such monstrous acts by someone else's negative energy (which I assume you were implying was mine)? 🤷

Now we're moving past individual consciousness and getting into collective consciousness... who knows, maybe you'll be the one to tip the scales toward the negative side. It's funny how we all fight our own battles, yet at the same time, we're all fighting this together.