Freud thought the same: "Limitation in the possibility of an enjoyment raises the value of the enjoyment." Gold is precious because it is in short supply. Our life on earth is precious because it is limited.

German philosopher Martin Heidegger says there are two fundamental ways we can exist in this world. He calls them the state of forgetfulness of being and the state of mindfulness of being.

Living in a sense of forgetfulness of being means we forget or overlook the richer, deeper part of what is actually taking place for us.

It's like viewing the Olympics as just a neighborhood game; it's like being married and overlooking the depth of passion, love and relationship that we can experience and share with the one loved.

Forgetfulness of being means we miss the mystery and meaning of life. We even miss much of ourselves. We skim along the surface of life rather than sink into it. We're just part of the veneer that coats real existence.

¶ 8:49 AM