In the two following quotes by Martineau and Beecher, I find many reasons we enjoy life.

 "On an ocean liner traveling to some far off destination, there were many different and interesting people; there was a family in mourning taking to their home-graves the body of a loved one. And there was one who was of rare truth and wisdom, the likes of which is seldom heard; and another person of deep faith that everyone respected; and another person of such love that all trusted her; and another with persuasive lips, from which thoughtful genius and the simplest heart poured forth the true music of humanity.

  The whole globe is a museum to those who have eyes to see. Rare plays are unfolding before every man who can read the drama of life intelligently. Not go to theaters? Wicked to see plays? Every street is a theater.
One cannot open his eyes without seeing unconscious players. There are Othellos, and Hamlets, and Lears, and Juliet’s all about us.
Be cheerful yourself, and good natured, and respectful, and every man has a secret for you worth knowing. There is a schoolmaster waiting for you behind every door. Every shopman has a look at life different from yours."

The following passage comes from Jeremy Taylor's book titled, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying. It is a serious look at the shortness of life, the vanities of life and the joy and purpose of living with God: so, when death approaches, we will be prepared to face it. Now in this passage he is laying the ground-work and takes a cynical peek into the lives of many. I just love his style and his underlying humor makes me smile, without missing the lesson.

  "Life is like a bubble and some of us die before we reach seven years, but if the bubble stands the shock of a bigger drop, and outlives the chances of a child, of a careless nurse, of drowning in a pail of water, of being overlaid by a sleepy servant, or such little accidents, then the young man dances like a bubble empty and gay, and shines like a doves neck or the image of a rainbow, which has no substance, and whose very imagery and colors are fantastical; and so he dances out the gaiety of his youth, and is all the while in a storm, and endures only because his is not knocked on the head by a drop of bigger rain, or crushed by the pressure of a load of indigested meat, or quenched by the disorder of an ill-placed humor: and to preserve a man alive in the midst of so many chances and hostilities is as great a miracle as to create him...." Jeremy Taylor

Ya gotta love this piece from Alexander Pope's, "An essay on man." This little extract about knowing oneself is a classic.  
"Know, then, thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the skeptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic's pride, He hangs between; in doubt to act or rest; In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast; In doubt his mind or body to prefer; 'Born to die, and reasoning but to err; And alike in ignorance, his reason such, Whether he thinks too little, or too much; Chaos of thought and passion, all confused; Still by himself abused, or disabused; Created half to rise, and half to fall; Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled."

  In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being
disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions:
"When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing, When did you
stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by
the sweet territory of silence?"

Gabrielle Roth

A Deed And a Word

A little stream had lost its way

Amid the grass and fern;

A passing stranger scooped a well,

Where weary men might turn;

He walled it in, and hung with care

A ladle at the brink;

He thought not of the deed he did,

But judged that all might drink.

He passed again, and lo! The well,

By summer never dried,

Had cooled ten thousand parching tongues,

And saved a life beside.

A nameless man, amid a crowd,

That thronged the daily mart,

Let fall a word of hope and love,

Unstudied, from the heart.

A whisper on the tumult thrown,

A transitory breath ----

It raised a brother from the dust,

It saved a soul from death.

O germ! O fount! O word of love!

O thought at random cast!

Ye were but little at the first,

But mighty at the last.    

Charles Mackay.

  This prowling beast with his shrieking scream and low guttural snarl, bellows at the believer with his incessant cry of “LESS”. You are less, less than you should be; you are less, less than others; less faith, less hope and less future. His fangs and claws tear at your self-image: leaving you maimed in a cloud of stifling inadequacy. Oh, but deliverance is bounding your way, with a message of acceptance and love; a deliverer who heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds, never to have been and forever to be “less” no more.

   

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

I preach at a correction center each week and in preparing my presentations it is important to know what Biblical subjects are most relevant to the group. I don't want to try and sell sandals, shorts and tank tops to Eskimos. We asked if the inmates would be willing to take this test and turn in just the score and we would then tally the results. They were eager to take the test, and as I expected the results were way higher than average. 92.7% had experienced one or more of the listed abuses and 9% had experienced all ten.  50% of those polled in my state scored zero. Take the test and see how you do.

The Adverse Childhood Experience test (ACE) is a test is given to help determine those at risk of ongoing social and emotional problems. It reveals staggering proof of the health, social and economic risks that result from childhood trauma.

The higher the Adverse childhood experiences, the greater the likelihood of --

• Depression, suicide, being violent and a victim of violence;
• More types of trauma increased the risk of health, social and emotional problems.
• Chronic diseases including heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and many autoimmune diseases.
• People usually experience more than one type of trauma – rarely is it only sex abuse or only verbal abuse.

Finding Your ACE Score

Prior to your 18th birthday:

1.    Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

2.    Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? or Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

3.    Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever… Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? or Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

4.    Did you often or very often feel that … No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

5.    Did you often or very often feel that … You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

6.    Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

7.    Was your mother or stepmother:
Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? or Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? or Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

8.    Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __

9.    Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?                        No___If Yes, enter 1 __

10. Did a household member go to prison?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __                                                                                                             Now add up your “Yes” answers: _ This is your ACE Score