Missed you all so so much! 
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And you rock @anon59754122. We are all human together and we can only live one step at a time - that’s the human way. You are human and you matter and you belong
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@Matt that means so much to me. Today has been a tearful day. Some happy and some not. Thank you for being you
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Being human is like being a seed. We all know that a seed makes a tree (or other plant). But in that process of growth the seed is completely destroyed.
You are growing. You are in the process of shedding your seed form, letting it go, letting it pass, so you can become the mature, fruitful, flowering plant you are born to be.
Growing from seed to tree is painful and it is scary (and it takes effort and time and faith - not of the religious type; I mean faith that there is a path, there is a future, there is a pattern and a destination to this growth).
Growing is hard, in every way.
The fact you’re tearing up shows me how close you are, to your next phase. It is a sign of how deeply committed you are, of how much you want this, of how scared you are but also of how determined you are. You are finding your resolve, deep down, and you will succeed in this next step forward.
You are not alone. You are never alone. You carry in your bones and your blood and your brain, all the power and the wisdom of the women, the people, the ancestors who helped bring you into the world today. You have thousands of years of this strength flowing in you, every day. I know you don’t feel it. But it is there, always.
You will make it. I have never met someone with your courage and commitment, who doesn’t make it.
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I feel very alone 
but I know I’m not when I’m here. Thank you for that beautifully put example. Can I save that?
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Absolutely! It’s yours 
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Keep reaching out and keep connecting with people @anon59754122. The big lie of addiction is we are alone. That is the addict voice creating perfect conditions for addiction (conditions of being alone).
Kick that asshole to the curb. That voice doesn’t control you. Defy it and resist, fight, and keep checking in, keep sharing, find people you trust and open up to them about how you’re feeling. You need this, to become the person you want to be.
You belong and you matter. You deserve a safe, sober life where you can be your full self.
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It does. Thank you. I’m not trying to be obtuse, I’m just genuinely curious where everyone’s thought processes are, so I can ask a lot of questions to be sure I fully understand.
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I remember this often. The blood that runs through my veins comes through a long line of strong women. 
And when my daughter needs to hear it, I remind her that she carries me with her always…and all those before me.
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Thanks! I’m glad I can help
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Same! I was reflecting on the strong women I’m descended from and one of the things that struck me is that none of them, whether on my Mexican side or my American side, made it seem like a burden. Even though many of them had beyond difficult lives and not always support from their partners. When I feel weak I think of them and it gives me strength because I hold them close to me.
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Welcom back @anon59754122 take it one day at a time.
I personally identify as agnostic. I was raised methodist christian and remember being so proud i told a pastor i was reading the bible front to back. He told the 10yo self thats not what youre supposed to do…and that was it. The hypocrisy of the church and this err of superiority just soured me to organized religion. I believe in energy, can not be created nor destroyed. I pray…i dont know to who but its more like the power of positive thinking for me and just covering my bases i guess. I enjoy reading about different religions but so many wars were perpetrated by people who were “religious”. Lets all just be the best versions of ourselves and spread love and not hate or judgment
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Glad you made it back in one piece and hope you get feeling better soon, its good to take a break every once in a while to get in a clear headspace. We can all understand the feelings of wanting to get away, reach out and voice your frustrations or victories, you have plenty of support and people here that only want the best for you. Take it easy and be gentle on yourself.
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Yay! Welcome back. I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling. This too shall pass.
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Hey!! Welcome back. I personally missed you on here. You are a valued member. I’m sorry it was rough for a while. You are here now, let us know what you need.
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Sending you a big good hug 
I felt that way so much all the previous monthes. And when I still feel that way, like you said, I come here. (And yeah @Matt is crazy good to put incredible words and thoughts in form, and so sweet and nice, nailing it again!)
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Exactly what @Astro said, I stand with him. Well said man !
As for the aliens question, same also. I’m fascinated by this matter, and exobiology in the broad sense.
I don’t see them as gods more than I would like a worm or a shrimp to consider me as a god when they come to cross my path on earth.
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You’re here. You’re not alone. Glad you’re here friend. We’re in this together. Big hugs.
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I call myself humanist. I believe we’re in this together. I don’t believe there’s any deity. We’re here on this beautiful planet, we’re alive, we have to make the best of our lives and try to live in unity and harmony with all. Humans, other living beings, the planet as a whole.
On a cosmic scale we’re utterly insignificant. I think the idea there’d be a deity that’s concerned with us in particular is preposterous. Yet I’m interested in the idea of (a) god. How the idea came to be, how the idea about gods came into existence, how it developed and grew and how organized religions came into being.
For me it’s clear it’s all a human construct, a concept thought up by humans. It’s interesting and intriguing for me why that is so and how that came to be. Why humans obviously feel the need for such a thing. Why the vast majority of people adhere to some sort of religion. There must be some deep ingrained need in our psyche for that.
The most basic and oldest known form of religion (seen from my western perspective at least), the worship of mother Earth, is something I can totally grasp and feel and relate to. If there would be one higher power I could belief in it would be mother Earth.
I do feel that since modern society evolved from the hunters and gatherers we were before, we lost contact with that. And as society got more complicated that sense of connection to our planet got more and more lost. While at the the same time power structures came into being, power structures that used religion to bring order and at the same time legitimize themselves, by the notion of it being normal that there are higher powers ruling us and it’s natural to submit to those higher powers.
BTW, I am aware that these ideas aren’t originally mine. They’re mainly Marxist in origin, the religion without god where I was born into. Another believe system I rejected for its dogmatism. We as humanity need to be open to each other and to each other’s ideas and thoughts. We need to know that we’re in this together. We’ll survive together or we’ll go down together.
And aliens: I’m pretty sure they exist. I’m also pretty sure I will not meet them in my lifetime. But who knows. I don’t think gods are aliens. The human psyche doesn’t need aliens to come up with human religions.
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