At age 15 I decided that my goal in life was to become Completely Enlightened

 Did I succeed?

Did I become enlightened in the direction I needed to become enlightened?

Yes.

However, what a 15 year old thinks enlightenment is and what it actually is a completely different story.

There is no way I could have realized what it would mean to become enlightened for me.

If I had known what I would have to go through to become enlightened I likely would have killed myself by 20 to 25 back then.

However, I'm amazed how wonderful my life has been.

No life is perfect but when your goal is enlightenment you can be happy and at peace all or most of the time.

The problem as I see it is most people enslave themselves to belief systems that kill them young.

Let me say this once again:

"THE PROBLEM AS I SEE IT IS MOST PEOPLE ENSLAVE THEMSELVES TO BELIEF SYSTEMS THAT KILL THEM YOUNG!"

"IF YOU THINK LIKE A SLAVE YOU CANNOT HELP BUT BE MISERABLE AND DIE YOUNG!"

I suppose if you are a masochist (are into self torture) that being a slave might make you happy in a twisted way and then you still likely will die young.

So, becoming enlightened is the opposite of becoming a slave.

It is being "MASTER OF YOUR OWN SHIP AND CREATOR OF YOUR OWN DESTINY!"

ENLIGHTENMENT IS BECOMING A MASTER OF YOURSELF AND NOT ALLOWING OTHERS TO ENSLAVE YOU.

How does one accomplish this?

"The way that can be thought of or spoken of is not the true path or the true way."

In other words "Only through direct experiences can you become enlightened!"

"Others might give you hints but eventually you have to experience it all yourselves and do it all yourselves"

The path to enlightenment is a lonely one in many ways because you won't put up with Bullshit around you.

It's not that you are unkind. It's that you learn to be kind in a really thoughtful right mindful way. You have excellent boundaries which you use regularly to keep things in order in your life.

So, was enlightenment worth it?

NOW IT IS!"

But, there were times in my teens and 20s when killing myself seemed a much better option.

So, the first goal to enlightenment is living to 30. This has to be the goal first.

Because by 32 people reach the pinnacle of being physically happy. After that physically bodies start to not always do what you want them to.

Like when I was 37 I was rock climbing like I did in my 20s with my family and I tore all the muscles of the back of my right knee doing something that I could have in my 20s. Then I fell 30 feet off a cliff into the ocean. But, I couldn't use my right leg because of the torn muscles so I almost drowned getting to shore. Then within 2 years I pulled my hamstring in my left leg skiing and had to drag my left leg for 6 months for it to heal and then straighten my foot to make my gait normal again. I didn't have money to get an operation or health insurance then. I owned businesses but also was getting kids through high school and college (4 of them) and now there are 5 with the youngest now 25. So, I have kids from age 50 to 25 now.

So, what is enlightenment like?

I think it's different for everyone. But, for me, it's about feeling at peace all the time no matter what happens in the world. No matter what happens around me I know I'm going to be fine. And I will do what I can to help others as God shows me how to do this spontaneously every single moment.

By God's Grace