The Happiest Man In Babylon

T H E H A P P I E S T M A N I N B A B Y L O N

Copyright © 2008, Bill Pfeil

[Author's Note: This is a rough draft of my evolving book. Writing continues. Edits and expansions will occasionally be made.]

CHAPTER ONE

THE 'BIG GAME'

Each year we would meet for the Cal - Stanford 'Big Game.' Both football rivals across the San Francisco Bay had non-winning records at that time, so that name was a bit of a joke. Often, so was the play. But the 'Big Game' is what the late November event was called.

Cal track teammates Carl, Steve, Bobby and myself, Evan, would meet at Kip's Restaurant off Telegraph Avenue near campus, have a few beers to catch up, laugh a lot, then walk up the hill to the stadium, or trek across the Bay, for the game. Camaraderie rather than sport was the attraction for our annual get-togethers. Our friendship developed further over the years, despite having very different viewpoints.

1. Carl - - after Cal, went to Boalt Law School, and became chief of the Western U.S. Public Defender office (famous for counsel to the uni-bomber). Carl was the cynic among us with a likable but sarcastic sense of humor.

2. Steve - - genius, early developer of computer software applications. Later he expanded his business influence and wealth by creating and standardizing the language code now used in the world wide web. Steve was our man of action. Each year Steve was listed among the world's richest men.

3. Bobby - - our distance runner, used to pound the laps on the outside lane while Steve, Carl, and I did sprint repeats during our Cal track days. Even in those college days, he wanted to follow his famous father as an evangelistic preacher. Bobby now has a huge religious following, and is often seen in TV interviews. He served as host when the Dali Lama visited the U.S.

4. Myself, Evan - - Cal BA in philosophy. I am fascinated with religions, cosmologies, and philosophies of all kinds.

Discussions were always lively and hilarious. We looked forward to our Big Game meetings as one of the highlights of each year. We would sometimes bring our wives or girlfriends-at-the-time to these fun rendezvous. Each year Steve, being a man of great means, would astound us with a starlet, or Las Vegas entertainer, or the like. Several years ago he brought Norah Jones at the beginning of her fame. We had a gentlemen's agreement that there would be no mention of guests brought the previous year.

We happily filled hours and hours with stories of successes and misdeeds, bawdy jokes, and dreams for the future. Birthdays or Christmas are often considered each year's most important holidays. Ours was the Big Game.

At first, we little suspected that these meetings would evolve into discussing matters of great substance to us.

CHAPTER TWO

REALITY CHECK

I remember the day several years ago when our yearly rendezvous took an important philosophic turn. Our before-game discussion started as all fun and laughs as usual. Steve brought a stunning model this trip. Carl always brought his wife Dee. Bobby quit bringing his wife because she seldom spoke and never understood our humor. This is the first time the guys met my Thai girlfriend Bee who just arrived on a fiance visa.

Steve would often tell off-color stories and jokes and we'd all laugh and laugh. Carl's humor was cynical, but funny. Bobby the preacher would tell clean jokes and anecdotes. We liked Bobby because of his warmth and charisma, and being a man of God, encouraged our moral sensibilities. I think that my subtle humor produced longer laughs because there was more thought involved.

I noticed the guys taking a greater and greater interest in how thoroughly my girlfriend Bee, when she occasionally understood our conversations, would laugh. She naturally radiates joy, and when she would laugh, she would close her eyes, wrap her arms around herself and writhe around in her chair as if in ecstasy. This was fascinating to the guys. There are many reasons I am attracted to this beautiful Thai girl, and her complete, joyful laugh was one of them. Bee's displays were so infectious that we would all laugh again in empathy. Carl's wife Dee would observe such overt displays of joy with, what I detected, a tinge of envy. I noticed that Steve's model date had been studying Bee all day, surely taking mental notes.

These were the best of times among best friends. We had it all. And we often boasted of that fact.

Then our discussions changed. I remember Steve saying in a good natured way, "Now what?" That probably started our inquiry of discovery. We began to wonder if, despite our successes, there was something important which had eluded us. We concluded that our lives would be wasted if we did not examine what that was.

As usual, we would meet again at Spengler's Restaurant down University Avenue after the game to continue our discussion.

It was nearing game time, so we walked up the hill to the stadium. Steve and Carl both confided in me, "Wow Evan, you sure have a sweet lady."

"I know," I said.

CHAPTER THREE

A NEW DIRECTION OF DISCUSSIONS

At the restaurant after the game, we were among other alumni groups waiting in the lobby for a table. University of California sports fans have learned to be philosophic about football losses. We chose to focus on our good times in college, and were proud that our school produced such successful, productive people. And we ignored Berkeley's other reputation for omnipresent counter-culture characters as part of a tolerant university community.

Once seated and ordered, Steve, Carl, Bobby and I again resumed our stories about our previous year. And our hopes for the future.

The good humor lasted for about half an hour. The guys again were keenly observing my girlfriend Bee. Often I had to translate a story or joke beyond her minimal grasp of English. She would collapse against me laughing hysterically. Steve commented, "Wow, I thought I had everything in life. Evan's girlfriend here sure makes it clear to me that I've been missing something all this time."

Carl said, "I was thinking the same thing. If I could wish for something, being able to experience joy like that is exactly what I'd ask for."

Bobby knew to avoid preaching scripture to us. But he did paraphrase that joy was as close to Godliness as man could experience.

From then on, there was no turning back. We were to change the direction of our discussions.

CHAPTER FOUR

BEGINNING OF A METAMORPHOSIS

We continued, taking turns with honest revelations about what we might want in life beyond our current successes and experiences.

The discussion got personal. Steve, having a wealthy, enviable life of fulfillment, said "I have everything. I have experienced practically everything. Every wish fulfilled. Every lust satiated. For years and years I have made decisions to make my life more complete. With every achievement, I ask 'what now?' I am running out of things to accomplish. Now seeing the way Evan's girlfriend laughs shows me exactly what I want in my life."

An hour ago, Steve was laughing with his arms around his gorgeous date. Now he showed vulnerability we had never seen. Quite a personal pronouncement that could only be made among long-time friends. We couldn't help notice the girl squirming ever-so slightly.

Carl said that his public defender life is unsatisfying and that he was looking forward to retirement to change his life. "What then?" we asked. "Put myself and my loving wife Dee first." "How?" we asked. He didn't know specifically.

Then Carl, ever the cynic, pounded the table rattling the glasses and silverware and said, "We want more, we want more" in his gravelly voice.

"No, not more, 'More' usually means more things," I said.

"OK, we want to feel more," Carl corrected himself.

Bobby said that the feeling of joy is exactly what he wanted to develop in himself and his family and society which he felt committed to serve.

I told the story of my first trip to Thailand which changed my life. Bee had heard this story before and sat back in her chair and looked into the distance. But the guys didn't know what to expect and leaned forward. I asked a sweet cutie, omnipresent in Thailand, to go with me on a motorcycle ride in the mountains outside Chiang Mai. On a remote jungle road, the motorcycle got a flat tire. My reaction was anger and profanity. Kanya (I'll never forget her name) looked at my odd behavior with giant warm eyes. The total absence of any anger in this girl contrasted so profoundly with my temper, it was a moment of revelation. She looks at the world from a perspective of joy. It was suddenly obvious to me that this is exactly what I want in my life. Previously, I knew intellectually that I wanted to hold good feelings all the time, even in diversity. The will to act on this wish became very real with this experience.

Carl asked about the flat tire. I forgot to finish the story. We walked the Honda 100 back down around the mountain road a few bends to a shack with a lean-to motorcycle repair bay. A tooth-challenged peasant lady came out of the shack, had the tools, and easily fixed the flat. She did not want any money for the repair, but I gave her 1,000 baht, about $25 at the time, an amount she may never had seen all at once.

Dee asked about Kanya. She had no telephone, and stayed with me the rest of that trip. The last time I saw Kanya was at the Chiang Mai airport. This sweet, simple girl will never know that she helped me make one of my life's most important commitments to myself. I wanted to learn how to feel good all the time. I wanted to let go of all feelings that got in the way of being happy. The watering in my eyes showed the guys that this brief encounter touched me deeply.

Steve said that it was obvious that we all were ready to make important attitude changes in our lives. He paused, then continued his previous thoughts, "I'm satisfied with what I've built. I'm satisfied that I'm one of the richest guys in the world." We knew there was more coming. And there was. This time he was on the verge of sobbing. "I'd give it all for what is missing - - real joy in my life. This is what I want," as he hung his head. His girlfriend was shocked.

Bee was embarrassed again when we all looked at her. "She's got it," said Steve. "I want it too."

Then and there we made an agreement. We awkwardly put our hands together like you see sports teams do. We agreed to learn how to experience what had eluded us - - to be happy.

We decided to meet every two months to pursue this subject.

We began a journey together which would change our lives. Four smart guys, best friends from college days, each with very different life perspectives, now with a shared goal.

CHAPTER FIVE

A SHARED GOAL

Steve organized our next get together. Fitting to tradition, he scheduled to meet for a Cal - Stanford basketball game in Berkeley. It was a Saturday afternoon game. We appeared at the restaurant at 10 o'clock, almost instantaneously as planned. This time things were very different. Previously we met for laughs, have a few beers, see a game, and enjoy good friendship Now we had a purpose of greater significance to us.

Carl and his wife Dee were in good spirits. This was a rare time that Bobby was accompanied by his quiet wife. Steve brought his corporate secretary Marlee whom I recognized as Steve's girlfriend at Cal years ago. I asked Steve why he separated from this smart beauty. He replied that they never really separated, and that they made an agreement years ago that if he could make her the world's first million-dollar-a-year personal secretary, he could act out a rich man’s silly fantasy to occasionally date starlets. "Plus I gave her a home and a great life," he added, looking at her smiling. Steve and Marlee indeed had a solid relationship. They'd always been an item, and probably always will be.

The guys were pleased that I brought Bee.

We briefly got caught up. Then we continued right where we left off last time. We now wanted to talk about our challenge to make important changes in our lives. We agreed that it would be a travesty if we did not at least try.

The ladies were the first to bring it up. Marlee made the observation that of all the years she has been with Steve, and all the huge business deals she'd seen him excited about, this meeting with us this time seemed the most important to him.

Carl's wife Dee was always at our meetings, and was keen on our project from the beginning. She told a story about the time she and Carl were dating in college and went to a restaurant after a Jefferson Airplane concert. That restaurant was filled with loud college kids, confident and enthusiastic about their future. Dee said that she and Carl will always remember an older couple, in retirement years, enter that restaurant totally and happily absorbed with each other. They had a glow and a joy about themselves that was fascinating. Every one of the college kids recognized the significance of this sight. Each stopped talking and stared at them. Dee said that she and Carl made a decision right then - - this is exactly how they want to be in the future. This is their favorite story.

I told another story about my travels. Exploring rural Thailand and Cambodia on a motorcycle, you see simple shacks built with only gathered materials. The families living there have absolutely nothing. Barely making a living with subsistence agriculture. But those people often are smiling and have a joy about themselves. They have a difficult life with little possessions. But they surely have something in much greater abundance than we have - - joy.

Bobby said, "Look at children laugh. They can express that uncontained joy we are talking about. At one time we knew this feeling. Somehow along the way, we lost it."

Steve wanted to know, "What is going on?. Children have it. You can see it in some third world cultures. Let's figure out how to get it."

We all considered the enormity of our task when I said that we were going to re-examine the most important question, asked since the beginning of time, to which no one apparently has ever given an adequate answer.

Bobby again showed the charismatic leader we'd seen on his Sunday TV program and occasionally on the news. He assumed the role as moderator, and suggested we make a list of "What makes us happy?"

It took only a minute to decide how to proceed. We immediately eliminated the obvious dead ends. We agreed that success can make us happy but only briefly. The same with lust or power.

We wondered if there might be any self-discovery benefits in the use of psychedelics. We concluded that we would proceed naturally.

We had mixed feelings about meditation. We weren't so keen to become like anyone we'd known as advocating meditation. Or to emulate those sad gurus sitting lotus on a pillow advocating the philosophy of denial. But we agreed that we might look at meditation later as a possibility.

Ideas flowed quickly about what might be helpful to us reach our goal.

Carl said looking at Dee, "my loving his wife is his source of my happiness." We agreed that love can be associated with being happy. We would definitely examine this.

Bobby was quick to show his religious inclinations. "Prayer gives me happiness." We respected that this worked for Bobby. But we argued that we needed to discuss something we all could understand and use. Bobby asked if we use the word communication instead, maybe we could examine that. We agreed to add it to our list.

Marlee likes to exercise and said that the energy from workouts was a source of her happiness. We agreed to consider energy as a source of happiness too. There was some discussion about calling it 'power,' but that was dismissed as connoting political or financial power.

Steve asked, "Evan, you seem to be in good spirits all the time. What about you?"

I had been thinking about this, and responded immediately, "I feel most happy when I am (and I said slowly), L-A-U-G-H-I-N-G."

Carl questioned, "But we laugh because we are happy, not the other way around."

Steve countered, "Wait, I agree with Evan. This is the closest feeling I have to being happy too. It doesn't matter which came first."

Bee became embarrassed again when we all looked at her. Steve continued, "Evan, when your girlfriend laughs so thoroughly, it shows me so plainly that this is the type of happiness that I want in my life."

Carl, always analytical, said, "That sounds too simple."

Bobby said that we often look beyond the simplest and the most obvious. "Let's look at this."

It was uncomfortable to speak in such an introspective way. But we thought that it was possible that the act of laughing was somehow associated with being happy. It was an experience that we could understand. It might be the easiest to examine. We decided to examine the experience of laughing first.

Were there other feelings that might be associated to being happy? Probably. But it was approaching game time, so we would think about it, and we would continue after the game.

It seemed like an odd but vital project to us. We did not know where we were going, or even if these discussions would lead us anywhere. We had identified our new goal in life - - to be happy. And we were bold enough to begin pursuing it.

CHAPTER SIX

REALIZATION SUCCESS IS POSSIBLE

At the restaurant after the game, we agreed that we were ready for a quantum leap forward in our lives. We each had very different viewpoints, and we would share our insights together how to proceed.

In contrast to our heavy discussions earlier in the day, we decided to lighten up, so the remainder of the evening was just fun. For hours we told every funny story we could think of so we could laugh and laugh.

As the evening went on, we began to realize that the very act of laughing could move us in the direction we wanted. Laughing could somehow be a route to our goal.

Yes, as Carl said last time - - it all sounds too simple. But we felt that improving our ability to laugh might be the best place to start.

It seemed like an odd assignment from our college days - - gather ideas about laughing. We knew we were onto something generally important to us. The particulars were not yet known. We would meet again in two months to figure it out.

Finally we had a direction for our journey. Here are four friends from Cal, goal-oriented and successful, now daring to confront this next huge challenge.

We felt that our lives would be wasted if we did not learn how to maximize happiness in our lives.

CHAPTER SEVEN

NEW WAYS OF THINKING

Two months passed quickly. Steve's longtime girlfriend Marlee engineered our next meeting for the Cal-Stanford track meet which was in Berkeley. This was our first track meet we had seen since our competitive days. So we were excited about recalling those enjoyable years at track practice and in competition. As usual, we arrived at our morning rendezvous within 15 minutes of each other with an enthusiasm that comes with a shared purpose.

Again, we told stories to catch up. And again the guys were fascinated with the intense joy Bee displayed when she laughed so thoroughly. She did so with such total abandon it seemed to consume her whole body. Bee is naturally shy and became even moreso when she notices attention on her. The guys quickly assured Bee that they admired her ability to express such joy. They further admitted that they envied it, and added that these are the type of feelings they want to develop too.

Then we got down to business. In previous meetings, the four of us agreed to examine how laughing might be associated with our goal to be happy. We had decided that developing the ability to laugh might be the easiest route to understand. At least we would examine that first.

We had been e mailing our discoveries and observations. We summarized them.

Googling 'laughing' didn't bring up much for our purposes. There are plenty of joke sites. There were rebroadcasts of movie and TV comedy skits. There were clips of the nighttime standup comedians. There were videos of people telling jokes. There are sites analyzing humor.

Marlee found research papers done at universities on the physiology of laughing. She referenced medical journals done at hospitals on the effects on laughing on health. It is no surprise that laughter is scientifically proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and improve neural mechanism and immune system function. She read stories of those claiming to have been cured of disease by laughter.

Bobby said that developing how to laugh like we did as children could help him in his counseling and spiritual work. He became thoroughly immersed in our project. Bobby found that there is a cult in Japan with laughing their only activity. As odd as it sounds, they sit in a circle, and simply laugh. No jokes, no funny stories. They just laugh, trying to teach themselves how to develop that ability and feeling. They claim real improvements in health and happiness in the real world as a result.

Steve reported about a U.S. group called the "Laugh Club" which have branches in cities around the world. Their website claims life quality and health benefits among those attending their workshops. "They report that their exercises radically change their physiology. They believe that the act of laughing makes physiological changes which effects the quality of life." Steve said that at least someone besides us was interested in this subject.

Carl, the cynic in our group, said, "I see crazy street people laughing to themselves. I don't see them as healthy or happy."

He had a good point. We would be mindful of breaks from reality.

Steve is successful in the business world because he looks for practical solutions to situations. He said, "I think we should find a way to experience that feeling of laughing we had as kids."

I suggested, "Perhaps in learning socialization, we are forced to focus on the world outside of ourselves. Natural inner feelings of joy we had at a young age become less exercised and atrophy. That may be the reason we lost our ability to laugh so easily."

It became obvious to us that we must find a way to exercise the feeling of laughing.

Bobby had a good idea, "In my counseling, we use exercises all the time. They can be a valuable tool. If a laughing exercise could be simple or disguised so it was not such a foreign concept, it might be helpful."

We agreed that this is what we should do.

It was time to walk down to the track. In the evening, we'd get some ideas on how to proceed with our project.

CHAPTER EIGHT

AN EXERCISE TO TEST

It was such nostalgia seeing the track again. And a bit sad that we had moved beyond those simpler times. But we expressed that we would have been pleased to know back then that our future has evolved as it has. Especially with our new pursuit.

Track meets are not known for continuous action. There was plenty of time between events for reminiscing about our years in practice and meets on that track. We wondered how much effort would be involved in competing in Masters track meets. We were still in good shape, but we decided our project of developing our personal lives was more important than just another worldly accomplishment.

Carl made a philosophic observation. "Notice that every time we laugh, we laugh AT something. It needs a context."

Yes, he had a very good point. It would be a severe limitation if we had to create an object of humor every time we wanted to have the feeling of laughing.

I thought about this for a while. Then I recalled something that might answer this, "I have a story to tell this evening which might solve this philosophic dilemma."

The outcome of the track meet came down to the 4 x 400m relay. Our anchor leg did not finish through and was passed at the tape. That miffed Carl.

At dinner, Carl briefly continued his rant about the anchor runner not finishing strongly. Then we reminisced further about our competitive days. Sports had been a great teacher. We learned about the importance of being in good physical shape. We learned about physical efficiency and that we could expand our limitations. We learned about pressing the psychological envelope too. We learned discipline. And we learned the importance of friends.

I then told the story promised earlier at the track stadium. In grad school in Hawaii, I would read notices on bulletin boards about lectures by gurus and mystics often scheduled around the community. I was curious and enjoyed going to them. Bobby noted that this was an error. But I insisted that they sometimes were philosophically interesting. Most of the self-proclaimed gurus looked like a wrinkled fetus sitting aloof and sad, and they preached a sad message. They believed that enlightenment is achieved through denying feelings to arrive at nothingness. Those gurus looked dead, and their philosophy was dead. A truer philosophy I had read somewhere was 'the way out is the way through.' It seemed better to 'turn on,' rather than 'turn off.'

Carl was wondering what the point was for us. "Hold on, I'm getting to it," I said.

I continued, "One guy had a terrific message. He was happy. He laughed easily. He had the whole crowd laughing and feeling good. Enlightenment-by-joy was his message. One particular thing he said resonated with me then. I knew it would be important to me later. He said that a simple exercise to use when you need a boost to a feeling of joy - - REMEMBER LAUGHING."

Everyone sat back in their chairs and thought.

"Wow, just remember laughing," I repeated. "That is something that might apply to us here."

It seemed to solve Carl's philosophic dilemma that you had to laugh at something.

I knew the concept just remember laughing would be valuable. This was the correct time to express it. I continued, "An easy exercise. Just remember laughing. It requires no joke nor any reason for laughing. Just remember the feeling of laughing."

We reflected on the idea. The long pause indicated we each were examining the consequences of this idea.

Carl, usually the cynic in our discussions, surprised us saying that he did not object to this concept for several reasons. He said he had an aversion to phony displays of emotion. He said the exercise required no object or context for laughing. And he was most pleased that you did not even have to laugh.

Steve liked the idea too, "Wow, it is the feeling of laughing is what we want to develop. Just by remembering laughing, you arrive at that feeling immediately."

We agreed to look further at the theory that the simple act of laughing might create the joy we wanted. And we agreed to try the exercise of remembering laughing as a tool. We would report results at our next meeting.

Bobby pointed out that we had agreed to examine other possible routes to our goal too. Certainly. But we knew this feeling. It might be the easiest to understand. We would examine laughing first.

Steve offered his mansion in Silicon Valley for our next meeting. In corporate CEO fashion, he said, "We now have an interesting exercise to test. I want to see results."

For two fascinating months, we would try our new exercise of remembering laughing and test if it would be a valuable tool to use in our project.

CHAPTER NINE

RESULTS OF OUR EXERCISE

I'd seen computer tycoon Steve's corporate campus in magazines. It was even more impressive in person. There were many split-level buildings of different geometric shapes. The designer cleverly maximized the interaction of buildings with nature. Gardens were growing into structures, and structures were extended into gardens. Whole walls were retractable to adjust to the weather and mood. There were indoor brooks and waterfalls. Marlee lived in the giant dome with double-helix-spaced rooms inside, accessed by a spiral escalator winding upwards to her penthouse which consumed the entire top of the dome. Marlee was the distance swimmer at Cal. Now she could water-slide or jump into her lap pool below for long workouts.

Steve lived in the black reflective glass pyramid monolith with sides positioned exactly north-east-south-west. He laughed about rejuvenation properties reportedly associated with pyramids. He looked surprisingly young for someone with huge corporate pressures.

All the geometric buildings on Steve's and Marlee's futuristic-looking campus were connected, in contrast, by a relic Lionel-looking train system. Steve engaged the drive and we began to clack along the tracks and sway around corners, past manicured lakes and jungles. Briefly we were re-living our childhood toy train days.

We arrived at an elliptical conference complex. It partly overhung from a mountain slope, and partly built into the mountain. It looked like a moored spacecraft. We entered the inner sanctum which Steve asked the architect to conjure a feeling of being on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. His corporate decisions were made there, and now it was ours to explore our own new world.

We continued the stories of our lives the past 2 months. As usual, the guys were enviably transfixed on Bee's display of pure joy when she laughed so hysterically. Before Bee's 90 day fiance visa had expired, I married this longtime Thai girlfriend in a beach ceremony in Hawaii. There was another round of congratulations to Bee. And especially to me.

Then we got down to business of reporting the progress on our project. As usual, I report the highlights of our discussions as I remember them.

Carl thanked me for suggesting the exercise of recalling a time of laughing and holding that feeling. He said that previously he had believed that we laugh only because we are happy, not the other way around. Now he thinks that the exercise works to bring the feeling of laughing from any frame of mind. And he previously had believed that it is not possible to laugh unless there is an object of humor. And now he thinks that it is possible to have the feeling of laughing from memory and not need a present object of humor. He summarized, "The exercise really works. Now I can have the feeling of laughing any time, any place, just by remembering laughing."

Carl's wife Dee continued. "We know that Carl is cautious to express his emotions. But several times a day he would reveal that this little exercise had a profound effect of his feelings. I've been trying the exercise too and feel good anytime I try it. Best of all, the feelings between us have changed in a real positive way."

Bobby liked what he heard, and said, "I've been disguising the idea of remembering laughing in my counseling and services. I see it works on many levels. In personal lives. With couples. Within families. I am trying to figure a way to make a big effect on the societal level too."

I noted that this exercise did exactly what we intended it to do. Its effect was not only in the moment, but could permeate longer-term general attitude. It could be made lasting. This is what we were looking for. Yes, we had discovered a tool which might help us reach our goal.

As would be expected of a corporate tycoon, Steve approached the laughing exercise in a logical, systematic way. He first agreed with us that the exercise did indeed affect his thinking in a radical way. The exercise worked for him.

Steve went on to make some important observations. The longer duration of using the exercise, the greater the effect in his attitude. And the more intense the laugh remembered, a still greater effect.

He made some further discoveries about our laughing exercise. He reported that there seemed to be a lot more going on than an effect on just thoughts and feelings. "If you were to physically act out the exercise, it also affected my physiology. It felt that my body was changing too. It was like my brain chemistry was changing, or neural synapses were re-wiring."

We all were listening. Having done the exercise, we knew that Steve may be on to something. I said that it would be difficult to prove that the laughing exercise produced an organic change too, and more difficult to convince others. Steve said he intended to do just that.

It was interesting that Steve had physiological observations contrasted to mine that were more philosophical in nature. I said that when I entered the feelings produced by our exercise, it sure felt that I was leaving my thoughts and body behind, and entering another world of pure consciousness. It felt that consciousness is of one reality, and thoughts are of a different reality.

Carl was quick to object to any notion of separate realities. "We agreed to speak in terms that we can observe and understand, not hypothetical ideas," he said.

Steve agreed. "We want to achieve happiness in this world. Let's keep our discussions in this world."

I certainly agreed. But I could not help but make these observations and report them.

Bobby looked at me and said that now perhaps I understood why he had such difficulty telling people about a separate spiritual dimension which was so real to him. I nodded.

This started a slight disagreement among us. Bobby and I consider it possible that other universes exist which we can experience. Carl and Steve absolutely do not. As we are discovering, it does not matter at all, at least for our purposes of creating happiness.

I noted that it was not possible to have bad feelings when doing the laughing exercise. Emotions I want to hold were replacing ones I knew were destructive. I was fulfilling my promise to myself made years earlier.

Bobby thought that our exercise might solve many personal and social problems. He spoke in moralistic terms that people often look for gratification in the wrong places which creates their problems.

We felt that we had made a quantum discovery. We had a tool that could change our attitude in the direction we wanted to go.

Steve suggested we drive the couple hours to San Francisco. We had the finest dinner I'd ever had in a revolving restaurant overlooking the city. Steve said that our society demands what we are productive and have success. Paradoxically, the more success we have in the world often points us away from what is the most important. We accepted Bobby's quote, "It is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to go to heaven."

CHAPTER TEN

DOCUMENTING OUR DISCOVERIES

The next morning we worked out on the narrow track weaving around the perimeter of Steve's and Marlee's corporate campus home. We stopped to admire Marlee's sleek body in her lap pool. She liked the attention as much as we enjoyed giving it. Bee, typical of Thai girls, could not swim, did not like skin-darkening sunlight, and was sloshing around in the adjoining covered jacuzzi. She shyly sunk down to her giant almond-shaped eyes at our attention. We expressed our thankfulness for the yin/yang makeup of the universe as we continued our slow run. Steve continued the thought, "The plus and minus polarity is seen on all levels in nature, from the size of atoms to the size of galaxies, in between and beyond."

We briefly postulated on what existed before that. That discussion will be reported in a later chapter.

At breakfast, Steve noted that there appeared to be a new bond between us. The beer-drinking fun of earlier meetings had evolved to matters of greater meaning and reality to us. "I can see a change in us. We acknowledge in each other that we now know something we did not know before."

I continued, "I feel that our exercise has taught us to get in better touch with our own consciousness. To feel who we are. This is where we really live. From here we experience our feelings and thoughts, and observe the physical world surrounding our consciousness."

In philosophic contrast, Steve thought his attitude changes were the result of organic changes in his body.

Bobby was careful to not make religious references, and said that we were learning some kind of transcendence. The guys objected to that word, but accepted the word 'overview.'

Steve suggested we celebrate this new overview by helicoptering down the California coast .

It was not long before the four of us rose above the corporate campus and headed south above Highway 1. As Steve piloted his aircraft, he said, "It is sad that for much of the world, their goal is just to survive. But it is sadder that for those whose survival is assured, they quit trying to maximize their lives."

Bobby thought that if we continued to make real discoveries in reaching our goal, that perhaps we should document them.

I noted that I had already been taking notes of our meetings and discussions. "I could write a journal of our discoveries."

"What, a How to Laugh instruction book?" Carl mused.

Steve suggested that our original goal was to be happy, so if we write something, that should be the focus.

I had a brainstorm. "Have you guys read the book The Richest Man in Babylon? Most of us had read this classic treatise written in the 1920's on how to gain and maintain wealth. "We might consider documenting our discoveries in something called The Happiest Man in Babylon."

It was a wild idea. But we all liked it. I could fill in the notes of previous meetings, and continue note-taking. This book was launched.

We continued our overview of the scenery below from our airborne vantage. A fitting parallel to what we were experiencing in our personal lives.

As it is turning out, we had just begun to scratch the surface of our collaborative project. We were pleased with our progress so far. But there was much more to come.

The direction for the next two months was clear. We would each continue our discoveries in our own personal way, and meet at Steve's again.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EXPANDING OUR CONSCIOUSNESS

At our next meeting, we again shared our continuing discoveries. The simple laughing exercise was opening huge doors to us. We felt radical and lasting attitude changes. It was changing the way we felt and changing the way we looked at the world.

As we continued the exercise, we began to realize that we were actually achieving our goal. We felt our whole psychology changing. And we began to feel our physiology changing too. We were actually evolving in the ways we hoped several months ago. The exercise was working.

In our future discussions, Bobby and I would focus on developing our awareness, our consciousness. Carl and Steve took the perspective of making organic changes. We concluded that if we reached our goal of creating joy in our life, it did not matter which route we took.

Dee revealed that Carl was losing that cynical edge. He could now sit with a peace she'd never seen in him before. She reminded us of their favorite story of the beaming older couple they had admired years earlier. She said they are becoming that couple. Now college age kids are staring at them, recognizing the significance.

Bobby said that when he discreetly incorporates the exercise of remembering laughing in his services and TV shows, the response is enormous. Carl took a cheap shot, "Revenue is up." Bobby was not amused.

I expanded on my discoveries of last time, "I find myself doing our exercises throughout the day. No idle moment wasted. I even go to sleep remembering laughing. I had the same experience as Steve that the longer duration I held the feeling of laughing, the more I got in touch with my own consciousness. And the more intense the laugh I remember, a still greater awareness. I am finally able to hold the good feelings I want. And I experienced what Steve talked about last time. Involving my whole body in the exercise affects my whole body. Yes, I feel physiological changes too."

Our host Steve waited patiently for his turn. He had e mailed us that he was doing our exercise, but wanted more. So we were not surprised when he reported assigning a few of his free-thinking corporate executives to go with him to the San Francisco 'Laugh Club.' Steve was ahead of us in many ways. "The most amazing experience in my life. For two hours, we took turns standing up telling stories and jokes trying to make the others laugh. We'd try to laugh at every sentence, funny or not. It was extremely uncomfortable in the beginning. It felt very contrived and, yes, phony, as Carl would say. But we were instructed to get into the personal feeling of laughing. It exercises the synapses in enjoyment centers in the brain. It took a while to get into. It was an epiphany when I finally 'got it.' These are the feelings I want. I realized that I use these emotions way too rarely in life.”

Steve continued, "But then it got painful again. My face began hurting because I was using muscles seldom exercised. We've been denying ourselves the best things in life, letting the joy we had as a kid atrophy away. Now I know how to get these feelings back. And I am getting these feelings back."

Then Carl revealed to us that he now feels totally different . "It all started with the laughing exercise. It introduced me to the way I want to be. I am now living it. I never would have guessed that we would actually achieve our goal." He was embarrassed at his display of emotion, and looked down. We could see tears falling.

Bobby spoke of his transformation in 'personal awakening' terms, for himself and for his parishioners.

I summarized that we had indeed discovered a connection between laughing and being happy. And we had an exercise that worked. We each experienced proof of that. We could finally reach that elusive feeling of happiness we had set out to find.

We reflected in amazement at how limited our previous existence had been.

We felt that our lives were turning upside down. Or perhaps more accurately, we were righting ourselves.

Carl and Steve thought they had re-programmed their physical bodies to be happy. Bobby and I thought that the changes were on the spiritual, consciousness level. Of course it did not matter what the mechanics were. The results were there.

Bobby made an observation, "I hear people say 'if I could only solve my problems, I'd be happy.' But it's really the other way around."

"We can choose the feelings to have. Why would anyone choose to be any other way than be happy?" I asked rhetorically.

We were to discover other exercises to use too.

CHAPTER TWELVE

ANOTHER EXERCISE

Maybe it was the female perspective. Steve's girlfriend Marlee made an observation that helped us expand our thinking further.

She said, "I have discovered that the laughing exercise resonates not only in the brain, but in the heart too."

This was new to us. Carl protested, saying he saw how it was possible that our exercise could change the brain chemistry, but he saw no relation between laughing and the heart. The rest of us thought it logical that there might be an interconnection within the body, so we listened.

Marlee continued. "I have added yoga and core exercises to my laughing exercise. That put my body in alignment so I could feel changes in the rest of my body - - particularly my heart."

Carl thought we were getting too far out. He was satisfied that the laughing exercise was effective in changing his attitude. It is a powerful tool to produce the happiness he was looking for. "We have found a way to achieve our goal. What more do we want?"

We had gone far enough for Carl. The exercise of remembering laughing produced the results he wanted, and Carl was satisfied.

The rest of us thought that there was much more to discover. The girls were keen on continuing our project too. Bee now had a better grasp of English and could follow our conversations. She already had a joy about herself so was less amazed at our discoveries.

Marlee made more observations. She said that when she felt the resonating in her heart from the exercise, she could concentrate on that sensation. The results were different than the laughing exercise alone.

We asked her to identify the feeling. We could have guessed what she would say. "Love," she answered.

Carl howled, asking what a beating physical heart had to do with the feeling of love.

We all felt Carl was getting too literal. We argued that it was just semantics. Love is unmistakably expressed as matters of the heart.

Steve said, "Maybe Marlee has found another route to take to be happy."

We had agreed to examine several. Love was one of them.

In the beginning of our project, we had no map on how to proceed. We guessed that there were several routes to become happy. We decided to pursue laughing first because we might understand it best.

It was an easy deduction that if remembering laughing was a tool to change ourselves, perhaps a remembering loving exercise could produce changes also.

This idea sounded odd and simplistic. But so did the laughing exercise in the beginning. We discovered that the laughing exercise works, so this one might too.

We agreed to experiment with a remembering loving exercise during the next two months to see where it would lead.

The rest of that trip, Steve showed us technological developments in his R&D complex. He said that in the future each of us will have a wearable communicator to access communications, worldwide media broadcasts, computing, and all interactive material. We wondered if this would make us each more connected, or more isolated.

The chapters to follow are grouped by topic, rather than by time sequence.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LOVE

We were expanding on our discoveries. We had a remembering laughing exercise which could powerfully change our attitude and bring us the joy in life we set out to find. Now we were learning about a remembering loving tool to use also.

It took a while to learn how to do this exercise. We grew up learning that loving, like laughing, is so conditional. This exercise demanded we reach the very essence of loving. It was a sad commentary for us that we had trouble remembering pure loving. Eventually we each learned how to do the exercise in our own way.

Carl finally got into the exercise. Dee was pleased when Carl said that his love for his wife was his entrance into this exercise.

Steve said that he had better luck with this exercise if it were called a 'focus on your heart ' exercise instead. He needed a physiological context to do the exercise.

Bobby and I, and especially the girls, eventually were successful by conjuring love philosophically.

Similar to the laughing exercise, we discovered the longer duration of holding the sensation of loving, the more profound the change in outlook on the world. And the more intense the sensation, a still greater effect.

We would have not believed before doing this simple loving exercise how profoundly it would change our awareness of others.

I noted that this exercise produced a connectivity and empathy for consciousness outside our own.

Bobby said he disguised the exercise in his weekly services and counseling work with huge success. He also liked these exercises because they were a way of making the societal changes he is committed to make among those outside his faith who do not respond or relate to his unquestioned authoritarian doctrine.

We now had two powerful tools to radically change ourselves. Using them both together was proving synergistic. The total result was greater than the sum of the parts. We had previously focused on our own personal changes. Now we felt we were becoming less self-centered.

We had already gone farther than we initially had hoped. We would continue to see what else we could learn.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

COMMUNICATION

Bobby finally got his turn. At the outset of our project, Bobby had suggested prayer as a possible way to becoming happy. That may work for him, but we wanted to examine a route that we all could understand and use. We asked him what he felt was happening when in prayer. He answered, “communication." Bobby reported that he felt transformed when relating to a 'higher reality.' When re-named communication, we agreed to examine it.

Bobby and I think it is possible that other realities exist which we can experience. So it was easier for us to see if communication could be a tool to become happy. Carl and Steve were wondering 'communicating with what?' We had to use real-world terms like 'the future,' or 'mathematical perfection,' or 'the ideal world,' or 'the philosophic world of forms' to convince Carl and Steve to proceed.

We tried a remembering communication exercise. Again we had difficulty learning how to do the exercise. Eventually we each found that this tool had great value. Bobby appreciated that we were doing something similar to what he found so useful. And we gained an appreciation for his experiences. But we expressed our discoveries in different ways.

Steve was initially suspicious of this exercise, but soon became an advocate. He now realizes that historically when he was confronted with a dilemma in business, he would sit still, and always get a solution to that dilemma from some 'perfect world.' He thought that there is mathematical order underlying the chaos of the world which could be sensed. He thought it was indeed communication. He expanded that thought saying communication with this 'perfect world' was his source of inspiration in many aspects of life.

Bobby said that there is some 'divine direction' from this perfect world. We avoided a religious discussion.

With the exercise, we were at least trying to learn about realities outside our limited comprehension. We felt that it was important to attempt to expand our consciousness to 'an ideal world,' or 'the future,' or 'mathematical perfection,' or 'a philosophic world of forms,' outside of ourselves.

Another important realization for us. It was humbling because we experienced how limited is our awareness. Yet it was inspiring that we were communicating with the larger universe.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ENERGY

We all provided input to this exercise. We are athletes, so energy is a comfortable and understandable subject.

We know the physical sensation of energy surges. We feel the endorphin rushes of workouts. We like the feeling of physical power. We know the satisfaction after physical exertion. But it seemed a stretch to think that energy itself could be a tool to become happy.

We each developed an exercise to experience energy. Remembering energy worked for Bobby and me. The girls thought that exercises like yoga and tai chi and being aware of breathing brought them in touch with energy. "Follow breath back to source," Marlee enigmatically said,.

Carl had become the most sedentary of us and used isometrics to feel the flow of energy. Steve needed a physical context and produced the feeling of energy in conjunction with running with weights. Steve did not see how it was possible that Bobby and I could conjure up energy by will power.

The results were similar to the other exercises. Holding the feeling of energy for a longer period of time produced a greater effect in our consciousness. And the more powerful the energy experienced, a still greater the effect.

We felt that the energy exercise somehow made us feel bigger. We felt our consciousness had expanded in size. What an exercise.

But we concluded the energy exercise had a limitation. We know that it was possible to produce the feeling of happiness with our other exercises. Particularly the laughing exercise. We did it. But we doubted that this energy exercise alone could be a successful tool. We did believe that physical energy was an necessary component to be happy. Those who do not keep in shape and do not physically exercise have a distinct disadvantage. But we did not believe that the energy exercise alone could bring happiness.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MEDITATION

We had agreed to take another look at meditation.

Our feelings had not changed from early in our project about meditation. None of us wanted to be like anyone we had known as advocating meditation. Especially to emulate their sad gurus piously preaching the philosophy of denial to arrive at ‘nothingness.’ Their philosophy was dead, and they looked dead.

We wanted to 'turn on,' certainly not to 'turn off.' We wanted an active approach rather than a passive one. We wanted a philosophy programmed to achieve everything rather than nothing.

We concluded that our exercises used together would be our own form of meditation.

We now had several powerful exercises to produce quantum changes in ourselves. Our first laughing exercise alone is successful in bringing us to our goal to be happy. The other exercises are also important tools. Of course we would use all the exercises concurrently.

We are now very different as a result of our project. We hold radically improved feelings now. Our world view has changed. We have evolved. We have greater awareness of our own consciousness and an expanded comprehension of the world we experience.

We reached our goal - - to be happy. And we are exploring beyond it.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SEPARATE REALITIES

Our discussions produced opposing philosophic viewpoints about separate realities. As it is turning out, believing that other realities exist, or believing that other realities do not exist, do not affect our goal to be happy.

The reader can skip this chapter if wishing to avoid a philosophic discussion.

Carl started this train of thought by saying, "I believe that we are only chemical computers. Nothing more. When we die, we disappear, except in the chemical minds of those still alive." Carl believes that he learned how to become happy by re-programming his organic body computer.

I enjoy thinking about cosmologies and philosophies of all kinds, and believe that that it is possible that there is much more to the universe than what our worldly senses can immediately deliver. So I felt obligated to reply to Carl, "The idea that we are only physical objects and limited to the physical world is not acceptable in many religions and philosophies."

Carl, taking the bait, asked, "OK, what more is there?"

I summarized this philosophy: "We have a body, but we are not our body. We have thoughts, but we are not our thoughts. Consciousness is of one kind of substance, and the world we experience, including our bodies, are of another substance. ."

Carl said that consciousness cannot exist without a body.

I pointed out that many philosophies would disagree. The belief is that consciousness is pure being. It has no substance that physical scientific instruments can measure. Consciousness is who we are. The fact that we are conscious is proof that it exists.

Steve quickly argued, "You cannot just BE. You must Do or HAVE."

I again said many philosophies would disagree. "Pure Being, pure Consciousness, resides in a universe fundamental to the physical universe of Doing and Having."

Steve thought it was nonsense to even think about what we cannot directly observe with our senses.

“It is enlightening to know that we cannot observe consciousness because it is constantly the observer. But you can feel consciousness by just being aware.” I replied.

"What real present-day value does postulating some underlying conscious reality have?" Steve wondered.

I replied that sometimes by thinking in esoteric terms we might arrive at discoveries in our tangible world. I suggested to Steve that he is successful in the financial world because he is in touch with such realities without knowing it.

Marlee paraphrased, "There are far more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophies."

Carl complained, "Supposing multiple universes just complicates the universe."

I replied that maybe it actually simplifies our understanding of life by supposing that consciousness exists in one universe and physical objects exist in another. Matter of two kinds, each with different laws."

Steve and Carl could not grasp the concept of consciousness separate from the object of consciousness. Of course, it did not matter in terms of our project.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

DARWIN'S THEORY REVISITED

There are two sides to Darwin's Theory of Evolution: 1. Survival of the fittest, 2. Generation of new species.

There is no doubt that the 'survival of the fittest' part of Darwin's Theory is absolutely correct. Those organisms which are the strongest or best adapted to their environment have the best chance of survival. The proof is seen though time.

But the second part of Darwin's Theory, the 'generation of new species' is majorly flawed. Darwin postulated that new species are generated by random mutations of genes which alters their form. Modern science astoundingly continues to embrace this unreasonable notion despite evidence to the contrary.

Mathematicians and geneticists should be first to point out the impossibility of Darwin's 'generation of new species' postulation. Simply, the time required by a process of chance gene mutation is far insufficient to make the significant changes in form we see. The math is just not there.

The 'generation of new species' part of Darwin's Theory is further refuted by the fact that gene mutations, if they were indeed chance, would most likely not benefit the organism's survival but be harmful.

And the Theory cannot explain the fact that quantum, complicated changes in form do not have survivable stages required for that development. Something else is going on which Darwin does not explain.

An alternative explanation to the generation of new species is presented by Evangelical Christians. It has its own problems. They believe that a divine intelligence programs such alterations in organisms. Proponents of this theory would be the first to admit that this theory cannot be defended scientifically. Rather, it is considered 'true' by unquestioned authoritarian doctrine.

It is odd that given the option of believing the intelligent design theory which cannot be proven, or the false Darwin's 'generation of new species' theory, most scientists prefer to believe the latter.

There is another theory of the generation of new species which also has its problems. 'Lamarck's Theory' states that changes in form can occur by willpower of the organism itself, and those changes can be perpetuated genetically. Giraffes wanted to reach tall trees, so willed their necks longer, and that trait perpetuated. Cheetahs wanted to run faster, so willed their bodies sleeker and more powerful for them and their progeny. Scientists a century ago discounted Lamarck's Theory by concluding that there is no proof that genetic changes can be either willed or perpetuated genetically.

What could be going on? We are entering a new age. Science is learning about stem cells. There have been advancements recently suggesting that humans can influence the generation of stem cells which can evolve to any organ in the body.

Will a biochemist show how stem cells can be encouraged to be produced within the body by attitude or thought exercises?

Will a geneticist discover that master chromosomes exist in the brain?

Will a biophysicist postulate that there is an interface between consciousness itself and chromosomes?

So far, there has been no adequate explanation to the generation of new species.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CONSCIOUSNESS PERMEATING THE UNIVERSE?

In an earlier discussion, Carl, Steve, Bobby and I wondered how the yin/yang makeup of all levels of the universe was created. What started the plus and minus composition of matter? Or a related question: What existed before the Big Bang?

In that discussion, I recalled something common to many religions. I said, "Only consciousness existed then."

The guys listened in amusement as I continued. "Consciousness has no matter or wavelength. Consciousness created vibrations. These waves became more and more solid, and matter was the result."

Carl was already turned off. But Steve wanted to hear more about such 'wild cosmologies.' So I obliged to relate what I had read. "It is conjectured that consciousness is the 'empty space' between galaxies on the large scale, and atoms on the small scale we discussed earlier."

Steve noted that the bulk of the universe is of an unknown substance. "Consciousness?" he wondered.

I continued with more 'wild theories' remembered from esoteric philosophies and science fiction. "Consciousness continues to create matter. And consciousness perpetuates matter by being aware of it.”

Steve is successful because he is willing to entertain new ideas. He seemed ready for another common belief. “Some even believe that consciousness is God," I said.

Bobby objected.

Steve made a deduction from these postulations. "If all living things are basically consciousness, and consciousness is God, then we might learn direct communication with each other and with God."

I concluded, "Of course this is all postulation. Postulating is fun. It might even lead somewhere."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

PARADOXES

[Again, the reader is invited to skip this chapter if wishing to avoid a philosophic discussion.]

I was amazed to realize that Bobby and I had similar views on individual consciousness. Each one of us is limited in space and time into individuality. His religious writings has a wealth of information, in parables and coded messages within myths.

His explanations and mine were far different, but the conclusions were similar.

We believe that our unique, individual consciousness, separated only by viewpoint, is held captive in our perceived physical universe by a deception of our own making. We are each trapped into individuality by self-perpetuating paradoxes.

One such paradox I call the separation paradox. Bobby named it the fall of man. My explanation for each individual’s separation from the universal consciousness is that a parcel of consciousness began to identify with an object of consciousness. It began to believe that it was that object, and forgot its pure conscious nature. We are trapped into individuality by ignorance. Bobby believes each person made an immoral decision to leave ‘heaven’ and become under the influences of wicked forces. We are trapped into individuality by evil. In either case, we are confused by our own true identity.

Another paradox I would call the approaching enlightenment paradox. Bobby calls it the temptation paradox. My explanation for the continued separation into individuality is that the closer we sense universal consciousness, the greater the anxiety of separation which prevents us from arriving. Bobby believes that the closer we get to the ‘gates of heaven,’ the greater the chance of temptation which casts us out again.

Probably the most insidious paradox is the ego paradox. We abhor the loneliness of individuality, but fear returning ‘home’ to universal consciousness because that might jeopardize one’s precious individuality. Bobby had many quotes about the trappings of selfishness.

Across all cultures and ages, we can recognize beauty and what is not. The beauty paradox focuses our attention on the physical universe, when it is the ‘perfect world’ basic to it that is the real appeal.

The be/do/have paradox keeps us trapped into thinking that we exist because we do or have. But being precedes it all. Descartes was trapped in this paradox with his false dictum “I think, therefore I am.”

The love/lust paradox mistakes lust for love. Bobby had many quotes on this one.
There are paradoxes on all levels of life. Certainly numerous ones in personal lives and in interpersonal relationships. In politics. In religion. Every problem has an underlying paradox which must be unraveled. Our laughing exercise was so valuable because it helped us get back in touch with the consciousness we are, which is the first place to start.

Bobby concluded that these ideas are not antithetical to his faith. He said they actually support it.

Carl had no interest in these topics. Steve sat back and smiled at what he was hearing.

CHAPTER TWENTY

NOTES ON ANCIENT BABYLON

The ancient city of Babylon flourished in various states from 3000 BC for 2000 years. It was located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in what is now Iraq.

Through a succession of wise leadership, Babylon developed and grew to become the largest and most renowned city in the world, the first to reach a population above 200,000. Huge public works projects were undertaken. Irrigation canals between the rivers made the fertile Mesopotamian plain agriculturally productive. Elaborate gardens were made within the city. At one time Babylon was surrounded with triple walls and a moat.

It became a cradle of ideas. Science, medicine, history and mathematics were advanced. Education and the arts were valued. Religion was allowed to be practiced. Money as a means of exchange was invented. The idea of capitalism with financing and promissory notes was born. Private property rights developed. There was evidence of a stable political hierarchy, laws, and a justice system. Babylon advanced civilization immensely.

Eventually, Babylon began its decline internally by corruption, unwise political guidance, and loss of values. Later, it was conquered and re-conquered. Plundered and re-plundered. It was abandoned to the winds. All that remains today is rubble and dust.

Babylon failed because they lost the realization of what is most important and ultimately fulfilling.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

ONWARD

We had kept in touch by e mails. We decided to meet in Berkeley again for the first football game of the current season. Cal now has a respectable football team.

Meeting at the restaurant near campus among current college kids was instructive to us. Some acted loud and confident. Some seemed overwhelmed by their impending future responsibilities.

Most hadn't a clue of what was important in life. Like us.

Some of the kids might begin to realize that there is far more to experience than what the physical world could satisfy. Like we did.

Would they make the decision to improve their lives beyond worldly accomplishments? Like we did.

Would they make the effort to evolve? Like we did.

Steve started a new round of thinking when he said, "OK, we learned how to be happy. Now what?"