To My Children's, Children's, Children: The Eternal Journey of "Life"

By Zoltan A Balogh

Book delves into topics pertinent to "Real Life." and those considerations that are needed to promote "Success" both within the "Practical Reality" of our worldly existence as well as those pertinent to the "Spiritual Reality" of our Eternal lives. It explores candidly politics, religion, science, and philosophy, emphasizing the importance of "Self-determination" and the "Intrinsic motivation" required to be able to decide and determine one's own "Eternal Destiny," analyzing topics often considered "taboo" for discusion purposes, and addressing truthfully topics without consideration for "Political Correctness" or "Religious Seperation," emphasizing inclusiveness rather than divisiveness to achieve "Success," within the context of every individual's own exclusive "Eternal Reality.".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503599277

Zoltan A Balogh

The author is a graduate of "The William Patterson University of New Jersey." He was awarded a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science in 1975, with supporting class interests in Philosophy, leading to a "Life Long Journey," to seek answers to questions raised about the reason and purpose for existence itself, seeking answers to questions that arise merely because of our acknowledgement of our own self-awareness as well as our perceptions of what we believe to constitute our own "Reality."

Book preview

To My Children’s, Children’s, Children

The Eternal Journey of LIFE

Zoltan A Balogh

Copyright © 2015 by Zoltan A Balogh.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 08/28/2015

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Table of Contents

About The Author

Dedication

Introduction and Purpose

Chapter 1 The Promise

Chapter 2 Procrastination

Chapter 3 Focus and Determination

Chapter 4 Journey of Life The value of SELF

Chapter 5 The Stolen Reward The Grand European Viking Pride Cruise

Chapter 6 Access To Knowledge And The Importance Of Formal Schooling

Chapter 7 Career Choices And Considerable Options For Life

Chapter 8 Politics And The World Around Us It’s Role In Our Reality

Chapter 9 Religion And The World Around Us It’s Role In Our Reality

Chapter 10 Valuable/True Life Lesson Stories For A Lifetime

Chapter 11 Famous And Infamous Individuals And Their Impact Upon: The Real World Around Us

Chapter 12 Referenced Quotes Of Great Individuals, Who’s Considerations Have Served To Change The World Forever

Chapter 13 Authors Conclusions and Evaluations Finite Worldly Existence and Infinity Immortality and the Eternal Soul

Chapter 14 Music the Universal Language And Books that forward the messages of Life

Chapter 15 A tribute to Love exemplified by the lives of my dear departed friend Thomas F Teszar 6/5/1953–-10/21/90 and his departed mother Elisabeth Teszar 9/24/1931====11/13/1990

Chapter 16 Tribute to the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony and Anna Balogh

Chapter 17 The Author’s Thank You

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author is a graduate of "The William Paterson University of New Jersey. He was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 1975, with supporting class interests in Philosophy that have led to a lifelong pursuit to seek answers to questions raised about the reason and purpose for existence itself. Seeking answers to questions that arise merely because of our acknowledgement of our own self-awareness as well as our perceptions of what we believe to constitute our own reality.

He has devoted a lifetime, to seeking answers to why things happened in his Life to bring him to his present. The Life Journey that each and every one of us travels, is exclusive to ourselves. Our paths may cross for a brief instance, and for those moments in time we may share a commonly shared perception of reality. Yet, the exclusivity of our individual journey remains the same; exclusive to each and every one of us. They are Gifts that are to be valued and cherished in their own context.

The author believes that viewing our individual journeys; we will inevitably have to ask how we arrived at what we perceive to be our Present Reality.

The author of this book claims not to be a Shakespeare, or a Chaucer. He claims no comparison to Ernest Hemingway or Edgar Allan Poe.

In fact he wishes to acknowledge his writing short-comings as an author and writer, and establish that his intentions in writing this book are to concentrate on the context of Philosophical value and not literary ability.

The value is in the evaluation of content and not writing pose or style. The fact to consider is, that if an author exhibiting the writing short-comings this author exhibits, can write and publish a book to pay forward a Philosophical concept he truly believes has value for consideration by others; then, any of the readers of this book should consider also the possibility of paying forward, those real and valuable life experiences they too may have to help others through their experiences within their own individual exclusive "Journey of Life."

The Reader and Author, are equal in the exchange of Knowledge. The acknowledgement of circumstances that may be presented for consideration in this book, may serve to suggest the possibility of a commonality of purpose between all of us. The author believes that the Material World, serves to only establish in-equity between all of us.

How many cars do I have, vs how many cars you have.

How large is my home compared to yours.

What designer clothes I have vs yours.

It is our Souls that establish equity between all of us, exclusive of any material consideration.

Every single being with a Soul, is equal to the other.

Every reader’s experiences are just as relevant and important as those of the author.

Every reader, capable of reading the contents of this book, has the same ability to write and compose his or her individual writing account of their own experiences to share with others willing to read and understand their thoughts and ideas also.

The author intends to convey to the reader an understanding that It is in the exchange of ideas that we establish commonality and promote inclusiveness rather than divisiveness.

The author believes firmly that our Souls, establish equity between all of us. Seeking answers to Philosophical questions that arise as a result of our acceptance and belief in such a Soul shall create a common interest that allows for the respectful interactions within our exclusive Journey of Life. When destiny allows our Life Journey paths to interact, we are afforded the opportunity to experience a commonly shared present reality. It is within that process that we may hope that our efforts result in achieving "Something Good" to establish a useful purpose for our very existence. Possibly the purpose for life itself!

It is with this premise in mind, that the author offers, this literary work for consideration, and sincerely hopes that it may offer some minute useful exchange of knowledge that may lend for consideration, information that may serve useful within the life of any reader.

If that occurs, even if for only a single reader; than the author’s intentions shall have become realized, and any positive impact upon even a single life, as a result of this work, shall become the reward that the author seeks his efforts to generate.

The author believes that we are: Spiritual Beings (Souls) existing within a Physical Material Form (Bodies). Our existence consists of both a finite and an infinite component. The first material (bodily) component exists within the parameters of a Physical Universe governed by the laws of all of our known empirical material sciences. The second spiritual (Soul) component exists into and through an eternity, independent of any material consideration. An entity that exists within an Eternal Time and Space void, and one that is independently exclusive of any material what-so-ever and who’s Eternal Reality consists of pure consciousness.

The author hopes to introduce possible consideration’s for the one ultimate question that drives his personal inquiries daily.

THE QUESTION IS SHORT AND SIMPLE: WHY?

THE TASK OF FINDING THE ANSWER SHALL SPAN ONE’S LIFETIME!

The Family is one of Nature’s Masterpieces

George Santayana

DEDICATION

As the above quote states; the family is in fact the most important component in all our physical material lives. We are all who we are as a result of the family from whence we came to be.

I dedicate this book to my family.

To my loving wife Margaret, who has joined her Life’s Journey, to mine so we may travel it together.

To my two daughters, Monica and Erica, who serve as a source of pride for myself and my wife, as we watch as they travel their own Life Journey’s exclusive to themselves, maintaining those principals we have instilled in them over the years. We continue to instill in them a respect for both; where the family has come from, as well as to where the family shall be taken in the future by our commonly shared Life’s Journey.

To a Grandparent Ancestry from both sides who instilled within their children (Our parents), a code of Ethics, a Moral compass, a sense of Spiritual unity and a Religious fundamental foundation to guide all of us within our lives with a sense of purpose, and an understanding for the respect for the importance of Family, as well as an understanding and appreciation more importantly, for the value and purpose of the Immortal Soul.

Finally, to my parents Anthony and Anna Balogh, as well as my parents-in-law, Imre and Magdolina Nemeth, who have instilled within my wife and I, those values they remained committed to despite all of the hardships, political persecutions, and religious persecutions they endured over the course of time, within their own Life Journey. They always remained true to their own values, enduring and accommodating circumstances to maintain their core beliefs, and paying them forward to us, to pass further down to our:

Children’s, Children’s, Children.

A Special Thank You

To: Monica Balogh

I thank you for that special Christmas Gift, you gave me that consisted of a blank book entitled: Memoirs of a Father.

The intended purpose of the gift was that I would complete and fill the blank pages of the book with useful information that would convey to my children over time and the upcoming years, useful and purposeful messages and writings that may serve as a written document reference of things I, as a father would wish to forward my children to help and guide them throughout their lives.

This gift became the spark that landed up starting the fire that began the process that ultimately led to the beginning, and final completion of this book, despite all of my short-comings, procrastinations, and excuses. I stopped focusing on my inabilities, shortcomings and inequities and started concentrating upon the value of the book’s message and purpose, and the need to pay forward that message in a written form, to provide a source of reference to whoever may find use in utilizing such content material in the future.

I kept saying to myself: If you believe that you will fail and not succeed, everyone else will agree with you, and as a result you will definitely FAIL.

It was always the one thought that brought me back to focus upon succeeding rather than failing, and kept me going.

Thank you Monica.

To: Erica Balogh

During a vacation trip to HUNGARY several years ago to visit my now departed parents; Erica and her Grandmother Anna Balogh stayed up several evenings after dinner into the wee hours of the morning, discussing everything from my mother’s childhood years, the family’s circumstances back then and her relationships with her sister and brother in those early years. They discussed the family’s history covering the war years in Europe during WWII, and finally they chronicled the after WWII years into our present.

Erica took out her cassette tape recorder, and with the interest exhibited by the most dedicated of News reporters she proceeded to capture the interview and exchange on tape after tape, well into the morning hours night after night.

They discussed how my parents met. They discussed how and when they married. They discussed the times and the family circumstances of my grandparents on both sides during those tumultuous and politically turbulent years. They discussed the politics of the times as well as Ethnic issues that necessitated family responses during those early years.

They discussed Ethnic issues that remain unresolved within Eastern European countries even today. Issues that; still cause ongoing frictions and conflicts in the area sixty years later.

They discussed the introduction of Communism and the Communist Government within HUNGARY, during the Stalinist Russian years, and Russia’s control of Hungary as a result of the Warsaw Pact.

They discussed what decisions my parents were forced to make that ultimately brought the family to America after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. They discussed the impact upon the family as a result of the consequences that were imposed upon the Hungarian people by Russia after the revolution.

This interaction between Grandmother and Granddaughter pertinent to a Life’s worth of recollections established its own worth and value. Documenting and accounting, all the good and bad, all the happiness and the sadness the family experienced during those times; ultimately bringing the family to America and finally to the family’s Present Reality.

Their sessions showed me the value of the knowledge exhibited by age and experience, as well as the importance of conveying that knowledge to future generations.

Thinking back now on those evenings, the importance and value of the accounts my mother conveyed about her life through those casual conversations next to a cassette recorder into the morning hours, that at the time seemed a casual Matter of Fact only now with the passage of time has becomes realized. That Matter of Fact casual event that can never again be replicated, establishes it priceless value, in the conveyance of a Knowledge of the Ages that can no longer be replicated.

It is only now, with her passing, do we come to realize how precious those interactions were and how valuable that time spent together was.

The wisdom of the ages can guide us through our individual journeys through life, and if we learn from the mistakes of our past, we may avoid them in our present as well as our futures to come.

Erica’s interactions during those evenings convinced me of the necessity for me to complete this book, in an effort to convey forward to all who could appreciate the value in the conveyance of a knowledge acquired through the ages.

This is an effort to offer that to those who may find in this book some useful information that may serve to assist them in making positive decisions, utilizing any lessons that may be learned from the contents of this book, within one’s own individual exclusive Life Journey. Any reader who has invested the time in reading this book and its content should consider cherishing any opportunity to access the wisdom of the ages that a Grandparent, Parent, or elderly relative may lovingly convey to them while they are alive. It will also become priceless and irreplaceable with the passage of time.

Often time’s people discard the opinions of the elderly, for whatever reason, and by the time they realize their miscalculation, the opportunity to access that knowledge will no longer exist. An irony of life itself! We must always be mindful of the fact that if we allow it to happen, it most likely will.

Thank you Erica.

To my wife: Margaret Balogh

I owe a special debt of thanks to my wife for allowing our Life Journey, paths to merge over forty years ago. She has been by my side, hand in hand, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, in happiness and sadness, both through good times as well as times of hardship, never complaining, but instead merely doing everything she felt needed to be done for the betterment of the family.

She has always cherished her marital vows to me, as I have cherished mine to her. We are both grateful for the gift that we were given through our past years spent together, and wait for whatever the future may hold for us together.

We both believe that with Love, one can overcome whatever hardships one may experience, and with a dedication to each other, and a commitment to our faith and belief in the Almighty, we may continue our journey together into and through Eternity.

With my never ending Love and commitment: Thank you Margaret

To: The Students of Hillsborough High School, Somerset, N.J.

I would like to extend a special thanks to those students of Hillsborough High School, Somerset, N.J. who have encouraged me to write down, Life Lesson stories that I often convey to them in school.

To those students who have been encouraged by these stories and have utilized their messages to formulate their own analytical thoughts, asking questions pertinent to making judgment decisions always considering all of their options, seeking to achieve a positive result in their own," "Best interests within their own exclusive Life Journey, without harming others in the process: KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I am confident it shall lead to your continued success in life.

Thank you for inspiring me as much as I hope this book may serve to continue to inspire all of you.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

This book consists of a compilation of Life Lessons, that have served me well during my Journey of Life.

It also contains an account of a Grand European Viking Cruise vacation, we rewarded ourselves with after retiring from a life’s career, before continuing with our routine every day Life Journey.

A well, deserved break, from the constant responsibilities of Life at the time, and a brief segment of time, where circumstances all came together to grant ourselves the Gift of a Lifetime.

I shall attempt to incorporate both accounts, in as easy a read as possible, so as to accomplish both intended purposes within this book, and offer some useful information to the reader, that may serve to offer comparative circumstances to occurrences within their own Life Journey, that may show that all of us have both Good and Bad Times, and we must never become discouraged or disheartened, because we are never Really alone.

Before reading any further, it is important that as the reader, you consider the possibility those certain pre-suppositions the author believes in, may be possible, and as a reader you maintain an open mind to the potential the acceptance of such premises might suggest.

The author suggests that you entertain the possibility that Life, consists of the two previously mentioned distinct Realities.

The first is that of the finite material Body, and the second is that of an infinite spiritual Soul.

These two components exist in unison and interact, sharing a simultaneous united Destiny. Their shared coexistence establishes what we perceive to be our Reality.

It is that which we believe we are experiencing at any given time. It is that which we acknowledge to be our Worldly Life Journey.

It is: Everything that establishes our Now Reality.

The Now Reality that we accept to be our Present. Our exclusive present Journey of Life."

If we can but entertain the possibility of these premises, we may find greater purpose for our existence, not only within the context of our short material worldly existence, but, we can seek to find greater purpose for our Life’s Journey, asking questions and seeking answers to the possibilities of a never ending consciousness that may exist into Eternity.

In this manner, our Life Journey, is but a segment of the entire Trip, and as such, and in comparison to the vastness of Eternity, the greatest of any achievements we may accomplish in Life, must pale in comparison to the potential perceptions of the Eternal Soul, considering its existence into and through Eternity.

These two components of our Now Reality, one of the Body and the other of the Soul, shall interact continually within our material worldly existence to form what we perceive to be our exclusive Life’s Journey.

At the conclusion of the material journey, the Soul, shall continue its journey into Eternity, independent of the Body.

Our worldly experiences shall serve to afford us with knowledge and sensory experiences that the material existence can access us to.

It allows us the opportunity to seek knowledge, within the parameters of Science, Math, Physics, History, Geography, medicine etc…. and all the worldly sciences in an effort to unravel the secrets of the Universe around us, and seek answers to the question that we raise about our material existence, and the purpose for such an existence.

The more we learn the more we realize how much more we have left to learn. Another irony of the material universe!

We continually seek to find answers to everything utilizing these material sciences. Human civilization developed theories and principals through the ages, within the confines of Time and Space, within the parameters of our human abilities and capabilities to comprehend possibilities and probabilities to find answers to any and all questions driven by our curiosities, accumulating a vast knowledge of the material world around us only to continually lead us to the most important question of all.

Why?

Why are we here?

Why is everything we believe to exist, here at all?

What reason could there be for our existence?

Is there a purpose for interactions between life forms?

Are we responsible to anyone or anything, for our actions?

Do we have a responsibility towards others who’s Life Journey, paths may cross our own?

Every question answered serves only to lead us to the next question that warrants seeking another answer.

A never ending quest we quickly realize, that our known physical sciences have no answers for.

Great human minds such as Dr. Albert Einstein (theoretical physics, theory of relativity), Dr. Steven Hawkings (Math, general relativity, Quantum gravity), Dr. Michio Kaku (Theoretical physics, String theory), Professor Julius Robert Oppenheimer (theoretical physics, nuclear physics), Sir Isaac Newton (physics, math, gravity), Galilei Galileo (physics, math, astronomy, philosophy), Charles Darwin (Evolution theory), Archimedes (math, physics, astronomy), Aristotle (philosopher, scientist), Socrates (Philosophy, Ethics), Rene’ Descartes (Philosophy, mathematician), Blaise Pascal (math, physics Christian Philosophy), Nikola Tesla (alternating current), Johannes Kepler (planetary motion, math, astronomy, astrology), Benjamin Franklin (scientist, inventor political theorist), Louis Pasteur (microbiology, vaccines, pasteurization), Leonardo da Vinci ((Italian polymath), Carl Sagan (Astronomy, Astrophysics), Alfred Nobel (Chemist Dynamite), Edwin Hubble (Extra galactic astronomy), Enrico Fermi (Quantum theory nuclear particle physics), Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Charles Darwin (Evolution theory), Dmitri Mendeleev (Periodic table of Elements), Thomas Edison (light bulb, phonograph, motion picture), Michael Faraday (electromagnetism), Alessandro Volta (first electric battery), Francis Crick (Quantum theory), and a never ending list of individuals, to many to continue to list, make intellectual contributions to the compiled knowledge of civilization every day.

They all eventually find themselves, irrespective of their field of expertise, faced with the reality of having to grapple with the most important Science of them all.

The science of: Philosophy.

Why is everything that is in existence here?

Where did everything come from?

For what purpose is everything here?

Why are we here?

What is Reality?

What is knowledge?

What is Time?

What is Space?

What makes up our Universe?

What can we learn from the Cosmos?

Why do we believe it to be expanding?

What is it expanding into?

Where is its expansion going?

How do our accepted laws of Physics raise even greater questions when observing and calculating the speed, distance and the rate of expansion of the Universe?

If after our research and inquiry, we accept the commonly represented belief that the Universe is expanding; then, it must follow that we ask what force is driving the Universal expansion.

What force is driving everything within our Universe away from each other in an evenly distributed proportionally uniformed manner, rather than imploding the Universe in, and upon itself, remaining consistent with the laws of Gravity?

Irrespective of what secret and unknown (as of yet) force can account for this expansion; as of present, it must bring us to explore any and all the potential possibilities.

THEORIES OF THE POTENTIALITIES OF EVERYTHING

It must bring us to what I believe is the most valuable of all the physical sciences, and that is the "Science of Philosophy?

Let us begin our first inquiry attempting to answer the following question. What is Eternity?

This question will open one’s mind to explore all the possibilities and theories set forth by many of the previously mentioned Great minds.

Throughout their entire lives, their successes contributed to mankind’s cumulative knowledge of the material sciences, however, they too have only been able to speculate and formulate theory pertinent to "Eternity."

They speculate as to the theories of alternate dimensions.

They explore the possibilities of multiple realities in an infinite array of potential dimensions.

String theory.

Their brilliant efforts to explore new possibilities, in the effort to find a Unified Theory of Everything, often lead them to close their minds to remaining receptive to considering the possibility of accepting what may be a viable, and acceptable premise capable of explaining the Existence of Everything.

From the beginning of time and throughout the Ages, civilization after civilization has professed a belief in the possible existence of a Supreme Being.

A belief receptive to the existence of an Almighty Creator force!

An Entity or Spirit Being, that exists outside of the confines of Time and Space, that is omniscient, all powerful, all knowing, and all capable.

An Entity, that had neither a beginning nor shall have an end.

An Entity whose essence is what we believe to constitute our limited conception of: Eternity, and to whom, for all intents and future reference purposes in this book, I shall give the name of GOD.

If we could entertain the potentiality for the existence of such a Being or Entity, than we can easily find explanation for everything and anything our limited consciousness is as of yet incapable of offering us answers to.

This is not to suggest, that we cease our efforts to question everything and attempt to seek answers to questions utilizing our own efforts and inquiries.

Inquiry and curiosity is part of mankind’s human nature as a species. We must never ignore our intellectual gifts, and must always attempt to use them both for our own personal betterment, as well as for the betterment and Good, of all mankind.

This previous statement validates the efforts of every single great mind, Scientist, Mathematician, Biologist, Alchemist, Chemist, Engineer, Architect, Inventor, Teacher, Physicist, Ethologist, Artisan, Artist, Polymath, Theologian, Sociologist and Philosopher that has ever existed.

Every single contribution that any individual, who through their independent efforts have made to the cumulative knowledge of mankind as a civilization and species, serves to better the Journey, for everyone through what we all perceive to be our Present Now Reality.

All their findings serve to inspire everyone else within their own Life’s Journey.

They inspire others to pursue any and all of their own exclusive endeavors, so as to yield positive and useful results to be able to add to, and pay forward to, future generations such knowledge that could assist them in building their own Now Realities, utilizing the cumulative Knowledge of the Ages.

I often ponder and wonder about the knowledge, and secrets, that were housed in the Great Library of Alexandria.

What knowledge and records have been lost for Eternity, through the destruction of the Library?

What secrets, must we now again as a species re-invent or discover?

What cost has Civilization, and Mankind, paid as a result of war, hostilities, and man’s inhumanity to man?

WHY?

This question will arise over and over within the context of this book. I believe it to be important, and it is something that drives my personal inquiries all the time.

Ultimately, all of us at some time in our lives will come to ask the question; Why? Sometimes we question Happiness. Sometimes we question Sadness. Sometimes we question Everything, and sometimes we question Nothingness.

Why does anything exist? Why do we exist? Why do we think? Why were we born? Why will we inevitably die?

Such questions inevitably drive us to explore the fields of Ontology, and Epistemology and lead us to investigate how they relate to our Now Realities, pertaining to Human Psychology and Sociology.

Eventually we arrive at a point in our investigations, where we begin incorporating questions of Philosophy into our physical individual and social inter-relations. We must then also study the introduction of man-made belief structures within our studies, and as such we must explore the messages of any and all Theological, Spiritual and Religious beliefs, held and exemplified by virtually all structured Cultures and Civilizations, worldwide in an attempt to seek fair and equitable comparisons.

Ancient to Modern civilizations, all exhibit some sort of belief and moreover, some sort of commitment to a conceptual belief in a Spiritual Existence.

THE EXISTENCE OF THE: SOUL.

Whether advanced or primitive, they all seem to have independently arrived at the philosophical study of Cosmology. and have formulated some concept as to their role in the Universe and the Cosmos.

They represent a belief in Eternity.

They exhibit a belief in (although differing in their descriptions of) a Supreme Deity, a God, a Creator Spirit, a First Mover, even a Guider of the Universe.

Finally, they believe in some sort of relationship between man, Man’s Worldly Existence, and finally, a belief in the relationship of man’s eternal Soul and Spirit, to that of this Supreme Entity.

The other elemental content represented in this book, is one of a more leisurely social description of a 15 day luxurious Viking River Cruise, my wife and I rewarded ourselves with as a retirement gift to ourselves after completing and closing a 26 year career chapter within our Life’s Journey.

It was a little segment of time exclusively taken for ourselves, to enjoy an experience within our exclusive joint Life Journey.

Whether