Eternal View

I also tend to take a more eternal view than most people, recalling that “nothing matters very much and very few things matter at all”.  I generally use the question of whether I would care about something if I was on my deathbed to determine whether or not it is important or not.  Using that criterion, together with meditation and contemplation, I find that the vast majority of things that occupy my mind make no difference, in an eternal sense.  Things that do seem to make a difference, in an eternal sense, include love, connection and relationships.  It is growth and development in these areas that trumps more earthly concerns.
I should make it clear that, on the one hand, I know the eternal view to be true, and on the other hand, I still get caught up in the frustrations of daily living.  For example, I can get very frustrated over the limitations imposed by my disability (earthly view),  rather than realize the tremendous growth in love, connection and relationships my disability has resulted in (eternal view).  This dichotomy/conflict is both wonderful (eternal) and disturbing (earthly) at the same time!