Farewell

[varkam]

I'm leaving DU tonight (or, this morning rather). I don't know how long I will be gone or if I will eventually come back - I guess that's not really up to me. I wanted to post this here, in R/T, because this is where most of who I would consider my friends on DU are - both theist and atheist alike. These are the people who I most want to bid farewell to.

I'm not leaving because I'm fed up. On the contrary, I still enjoy conversations here as much as I did when I started. I've learned quite a bit from hanging around in here, and I know that because I feel must less intelligent than I did when I joined. Odd the paradoxes of life. I'm not leaving because I'm no longer interested in politics or talking about theology - those are both still very much my interests. I'm leaving because of some pretty big problems in my life that I have to deal with. I've posted about those problems elsewhere. So what it's come down to is that I just need to step away from all of it.

But enough about me. On my better days, what I always hoped to bring to the discussions here was a sense that we all share a common ground - believers and non-believers alike. I've written about it, and tried to express as honestly as I have been able what I think that common ground is. I don't think I made a whole lot of impact on a whole lot of people while I was here, so that's just the message I want to leave on.

At the end of the day I don't think it matters whether or not you believed in the right god, or any at all for that matter. It doesn't matter what you think is going to happen when we die, and it doesn't matter what church you go to. All of those things are inconsequential, insofar as being able to relate to others. We all basically want the same things for ourselves - to be happy, healthy, and secure. We all are basically afraid of the same things, too. The differences, the lines that we all like to draw in the sand are pretty much illusions. At the end of the day, regardless of what you believe or do not believe, we're all human beings. As such, we kind of like to hold onto those differences and use those to define ourselves when, instead, we could be seeking out the similarities and using those instead.

Okay, I'll stop waxing philosophic. Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to talk to me this past year and a bit. Thanks for showing me something new and worthwhile. I wish you all the best in your lives.

[Erika]

1. Take care and good luck

Hope to see you soon.

[babylonsister]

2. OMG! You're not dying! Thank you, Jesus!

You're only an addict! Halleujah! Aren't we all? :hug:

Take care, and keep in touch!

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Varkam, no one is perfect.

I hope that you find happiness in your life.

[Kiouni]

4. Good luck.

[Evoman]

5. I wish you the best.

Do what you have to do man. Most of us will still be here when you come back.

On edit: Are you cutting your internet connection?

[charlie]

6. I'll miss you, varkam

You're a good egg. My best wishes for you and hope to see you again.

[More Than A Feeling]

7. I've greatly enjoyed your contributions,

but real life matters more. Thanks for being here and sharing, and good luck with your problems. I hope you manage.

Sincerely,

Heaven and Earth

[toddaa]

8. Hope to see you soon

Good luck.

[applegrove]

9. You are wise. If you have problems that are not being fixed, take the time

to fix them. Then come back if DU isn't part of the problem. Godspeed!

[kwassa]

10. Best wishes to you

in your recovery and in all other aspects of your life.

I've appreciated the intelligence and honesty you have brought here.

[SidDithers]

11. Best of luck, varkam...

enjoy the wonders of the world away from the internet! Take walks, plant flowers, enjoy the sunshine :)

Sid

[Meshuga]

12. I hope your departure will be brief :-(

I've always appreciated your posts in R/T. It is sad that you are leaving but I wouldn't talk you out when your departure is an attempt to make a positive change in your life. The honesty in your other post, about your "problem", is worthy of publishing so others who have the same issues will know they are not alone.

I wish you all the best and I hope you can work this out so you can come back to R/T and DU. I don't know you or Sarah (your girlfriend) but my perception is that, in a way, you guys are lucky to have each other. You are lucky to have Sarah since she is so understanding and sticking around with you "for better or for worse". And she has a mate who has conscience and is honest about his problem which is a huge step in making a positive change.

Again, I wish you all the best and I really hope to see you back here with us some day!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. Best wishes

As the Lakota people say, may you learn you lessons in a good way. Ho Metaquiatsun.

[hunter]

14. Sometimes simply stepping away from the computer is what you need to do.

Good travels to you, varkam.

[trotsky]

15. Good luck, varkam.

You have been a valuable contributor to the discussions here and will be missed. I hope you can overcome your problems and come back again soon.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. Good luck to you. I'm sorry for your troubles. nt

[PassingFair]

17. Goodbye, Varkam.

I will miss your posts. You are one of the good guys!

:hi:

[Random_Australian]

18. Well, goodbye it is. You will be missed. In the off chance you wanted to know,

my own head problems are far worse than what I have posted in the mental health support group. However, for all that I have experienced I do not know addiction; as such, I have a strangely helpless feeling in not knowing what to say to you that could change things. But such is life - while the chance to be happy is constant, actual happiness is fleeting.

Other than this: Farewell for now, my friend.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

19. Thank you for your message and good luck with your recovery process

n/t