I forgot my newspaper - “Le Monde”

Do you not become a part of "the sympathizers who nod understandingly" when you chose to "smile back. Or look at my watch"? What is the difference?

Also, you have pointed out that you purposely throw in bits & pieces to test the waters; to see if your readers will "mentally switch themselves off" yet your later paragraph states that we should hold our tongues, "Because what you will say, I assure you, will be irrelevant to me." Is that not contradictory? How can you ask of something that you are not willing to give in return? Am I naive to think that I should live my life by these words, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"?

I did enjoy the comparison between life & death, but what if you have shared your life with others? Surely there are people, here & there maybe, that each know a few truism about your life to credit your ceremony with a few truths? I have often wondered this myself, how much my death would really affect others. Disturbingly, I have realized that it would affect too many, too deeply. It is, after all though, a temporary pain. A grief that would not be surpassed in weeks, months, or even years... but would die with the passing of those whom I have touched in some unfathomable way.

I have nothing to say to you, accusingly or in a preaching manner, but I do have questions to ask. Questions because I too have thought along these lines, yet came up with differently in the end. I will do nothing to try to change you, so long as you do nothing to try to change me. While I may not be happy being me, I am not willing to change for you. Can I say that? Do I need permission?

I don't think we, as humans, were all meant to care about others. Some have that instinct & some do not, but who is on the correct team to judge which version is RIGHT?

Was I supposed to be frowning a bit, reading this? Thinking? Because I didn't frown, I simply wondered. But no frowning.

If your friend, Ms. LosingMyOwnWayInLifeWhileHopingToGuideOthers wants to speak even when others don't understand, is that not her right too? Just as it is your right to sit there, typing, imagining that you are making people frown...

Your words are inspiring, in an intellectual way.