REFLECTIONS

For some time now I've been thinking about spiritual reality.  Here are some of the ideas I've come across. Note: I'm not promoting any religious beliefs.  I'm just trying to understand.  Hardware : The body is expendable.  If I lose a limb I'm still me.  The same with a kidney or heart transplant.  Someday the technology may exist to allow a complete body transplant into a younger body or a cloned body; maybe even a mechanical android body.  But I will still be me riding the body like I drive a car.      Software : The mind also is not really me.  It's a set of instructions on how I operate my body, learn something new, solve problems.  I can observe this when I watch myself in a quiet situation like meditation.  The thoughts come and go on their own. Self-Awareness : Beyond the hardware of the body and the software of the mind is consciousness and consciousness of being conscious and so on infinitely.  Maybe this points to the soul,

I wonder if these tiny sprouts on the tree will grow into massive branches.  This robin was closely watching me, trying to make sense of what I was doing with my camera.

How did this car get up on top of the shed? There is a "No Parking" sign and a "Reserved Parking" sign.  Wouldn't it be just like in the movies if the car went hurtling through the air and landed on the shed ? ! Maybe the police were following close behind. Maybe the driver crawled through an open window and got away!

It feels good to share some of my worries.  The procedures are fascinating, as if happening to someone else!    Here are the procedures I'll soon be having: ~A Percutaneous Disc Removal (minimally invasive technique).  Hopefully he won't have to remove too much.  From an MRI the doctor found a disc piece about the size of a marble pressing against a nerve. ~An  EMG/NCS nerve conduction test on my thighs. ~Possible MRI on my thighs. The New York Hospital for Special Surgery is working on setting up a way to do these procedures on the same day.  It takes about 6 hours for me to drive to New York City so this would be a tremendous help. Even though the procedures will be at the New York Hospital for Special Surgery (they handle sports injuries and use up to date techniques); I'm still a little nervous.  A few years ago I had back pain and tried epidural injections.  It only helped a little but when I began taking Cymbalta the pain was completely gone.    Th