Well then what about multi millionaires or movie stars, did they choose that? How come they are the chosen ones to live a gifted life??

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on the other hand what is a gifted life? from their point of view what is a successful life? and why do some famous and rich folk committ suicide? get themselves killed? can we all be rich and famous? lol. we might get bored if this were so. oh no! dish out anything but boredom! love, alysia

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It's hard to imagine Mair that we would choose a life of pain and misery instead of mundane life..lol
Seems like "Pain" is there to teach us something?

Just think about our first love/rejection ..lol...i remember it, and I thought that i could not live anymore without that person; geezz if i only knew then what i know now...
With love
Romain

  I suppose i can only speak for myself on this one.  It seems that every thing in my life that has caused me pain and suffering, has always led to a greater understanding of life, myself, and most importantly (to me) has helped me have compassion for the pain and suffering of others and tolerance for others life paths.      
 Perhaps the last reason is the reason why we do suffer, that and for the experience-knowledge.  I am inclined to believe that maybe there are only two states of being in our little Earth marble game--Love and UnLove.   All of us have experienced UnLove to greater and lesser extent, and true for Love to some degree as well.  But very few experience PUL energy (pure uncondional love) in any deeper or consistent way from others here in-physical.  Nor do many of us consistently project and live it.  Perhaps that is a generalization, if it is so sue me but seriously if we did (love more) the world would be in much better shape than it is in right now, right?
 I believe everything that has been a challenge, painful, disillusioning etc. has been a catalyst for me learning to put that energy out more and more.  For example,  I consider my step-father my greatest teacher, even though he never consciously showed love and was quite unloving in many respects.   When i learned to forgive him entirely and fully, i learned a higher expression of love.  And in turn, a weight lifted off me and i became a happier person.

 As someone mentioned earlier, i believe it was Alysia, many people who seem to "have it all" and who seem happy, are really some of the least happy people on earth.  A good example is Howard Hughes, a man who had everything materially but gained it all at the expense of his soul--which eventually drove him nutty (well that and the drugs).  

I've met some very "down and out" people who have had a radiant happiness and positivity to them, judging by the worlds standards they should be miserable, but when you live and function from Spirit regardless of your material circumstances, you seem to get other "benefits".   True in my case as well.   I'm fairly poor materially, sheesh i have to use a library p.c., but i live almost everyday in consistent joy, peace, and gratefullness (though i can have quite a short but not lasting temper) and i wouldn't trade this state of mind for all the fame and riches that our western culture so glamorizes.  Though i would be lying if i said i don't sometimes wish i was a little better off materially.

But then again, i've always been somewhat of a Buddhist in my attitudes toward material life.  I dunno, but i've experienced some pretty powerful extremes in this life and its been quite the ride so far!  Can't wait to see what else is in store...

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Yes, Jenn, I feel exactly the same way about my life.

I have a theory that souls who do this are at a point in spiritual development where they have been told they are almost ready to move up to some higher level, and so they are in a big rush to do something great and special on earth so that they can "graduate."  They tend to be a little bit full of themselves at that point in development.  Then, usually, they find out it's not so easy and that this life involves a lot of suffering and mistakes and trial and error, because it was meant to be a test to see if you're really ready to move up spiritually.

I could be wrong about this theory.  It's just something I'm throwing out on the table for speculation.  I feel like that might be the situation in my life, but who knows.  I cannot speak about anybody else's life.  As for me, I probably was smoking something up in heaven before I came into my current life -- the intoxicating weed of arrogance, excessive excitement and self-assurance.     God had plans to make me go through a lot of misery in this life to make me more realistic about myself and the world.

Freebird

Justin, I'm so happy to hear you read Soul Journeys too.  Isn't it awesome?  It fits right in with all the other afterlife books but adds something on it's own too.  I especially like her mantra:  "I AM Light manifested in Love expressed in Joy, Joy, Joy................."

Love, Mairlyn

I think some people chose the lives they do because of how it can benefit others.  The lives of the conjoined twins has a lesson for the parents, what they will learn from it.  Then there are the doctors and surgeons who get the chance to experience this kind of medical condition and what they can learn from it.  Then there are all the people who will come to know or hear about these twins and all the things they will ask, think, learn, etc.  It goes on and on.  Of course, the twins themselves have their own reasons for what they can learn from this kind of life. 

Even if you feel you have a normal or boring life, you just never know who you will touch in your life or what kind of affect you can have on someone.  Even a simple event can be a big experience or breakthough for someone else.  I believe no matter what kind of life someone has, there are countless events where that life is in the right place at the right time to be of benefit for someone else, however big or little that learning opportunity is.  But many people are not keeping their eyes and hearts open to receiving the message/lesson. 

Sorry for such a long post, but here's an experience I had once.  I used to take the RTD to and from college.  I hated it, but there was a young man, about 20 maybe who rode every day.  He was nice looking, polite, and always smiled and said hi to me.  I did the same with him and was happy to see him each day.  I noticed he talked to someone who wasn't there, and I was the only person who ever greeted him each day.  One day I had the courage to ask him where he goes each day and he said he goes to see a doctor for his mental health.  He said he knows he has problems but that he's getting help.  I was proud of him.  How hard would that be?  One day as I got off the bus a very rude woman with 2 tiny kids hollered at me.  She said rudely, "Why on earth do you even talk to him.  He's weird!"  I said, "Do you even know why he's on that bus every day?  He's getting help and trying to get better."  Why do YOU take the bus?"  She was so shocked at what I'd said that she didn't even have a response.  I hope she learned something from that experience.  If she didn't, it's her own fault.