Life is Terrifying - But so what?

 You take a good hard look at what is going on behind the scenes in your world, and you will find a lot of grim reminders of the hardships and suffering that lie under a slimsy veil of 'normalcy'.

Awareness of Old Age, Sickness, and Death was the impetus that drove the Buddha to give away his comfortable, protected life as a prince to become a reounced sage in the forest.

It's a terrific story, and one I have always related to.

Perhaps it had something to do with the Sixties and/or psychedelic drug experimentations, but I just wasn't comfortable 'trying not to think about' the dark side of life.

And of course, Death itself is the Biggest Game in town.  Nobody wants to die.  Or go thru a lot of sickness and pain.

Is a belief that it is somehow possible to 'cheat' the Inevitable lies at the heart of  much 'religiosity'.

The thought that somehow, but merely 'allying' with the right teachings, or perhaps the most convincing Teacher, is some sort of solace?

Or the idea that all one need do to resolve the apparent contradiction between our impulse to survive and the death sentence we all receive along with our birth certificates, is to get on 'God's Side' thru allegiance with one of His 'Favorites'?

Especially when there are those who are willing to lie to you that they have an answer to your metaphysical discomforts.  They will tell you how it REALLY is.  Who you REALLY are!

That you are actually one of the most FAVORED sons or daughters and needn't do much else but support them, and their charities for the poor, and they will give you new names and new partners and new practices to convince you you really are DIFFERNT now.

They tell you that the fear you drank, and sexed, and fretted over is done.  You have found what you were looking for.  All the more so because it doesn't LOOK like what you were looking for.  Therefore, it MUST BE THAT.  Only in disguise.