I was recently asked what I know for sure. I didn’t have time to answer everything in detail, but upon further reflection, this is what I would have told them.

1. We live on the most beautiful planet in the universe. There are over 400 million planets in our galaxy alone and an estimated 21 million more galaxies in the observable universe (i.e. the only part of space that we can see with telescopes and far reaching satellites). So far, we’ve only observed all brown, red, or blue planets with no water or diversity on them. We are literally living on a home that is 1 in several gazillion. The math doesn’t even make sense—it’s that rare, meaning there is a God or we won the greatest evolutionary lottery in the known universe. Either way it’s profoundly beautiful.
2. Possessing a human body is a beautiful experience. I love the animal kingdom, but other species don’t hold a candle to the awesome existence of being a human. If you are reading this, again you won the universal lottery for most amazing species in the known universe. It. Is. Wonderful.
3. Humans are inherently good. They can be trusted, they really do try, the sometimes change, and they will amaze you if you let them. Don’t let the lemons or fear mongers tell you otherwise. We would have not have gotten as far as we have as a species if that weren’t the case.
4. The world is in good hands. On a similar note, people who say that youth cannot be trusted have no idea what they’re talking about because they only talk or listen to older people, especially loudmouth ones on TV. Having worked closely with youth for many years, they are even better than we are, just like we are largely better, more educated, more disciplined, and more empathetic than generations that came before us. Statistics bear this out, in fact. So don’t be old by saying the world is going to hell. It’s not, and younger generations will figure out the future just like we did, even if we don’t understand the new rules they play by.
5. Parenthood is phenomenal. If you’re mentally and physically capable, everyone should have at least one child with a soulmate. It is the best, most rewarding experience most of us will participate in, and helps us see the world with wonderful fresh eyes again.
6. Free will is a human right. It must be respected, even if we disagree with it. But it also must be punished when it limits another’s ability to exercise their own free will.
7. Judging others is a fool’s errand. Related to the above, we shouldn’t judge others for making different choices than we do, unless of course those choices infringe on our own. Live and let live is a beautiful thing that leads to a lot less aggravation and anger than the alternative.
8. We are the world’s stewards. Although I believe we are the most superior species in the known universe, I do not believe in a scorched earth, do whatever I please, YOLO mentality. We should treat our environment with respect, and try to give back to it as much as we take.
9. Music, dance, and storytelling are humanity’s three greatest inventions. I love all three in that order.
10. God lives, and there is life after death. Although indoctrinated as a boy, I still choose to believe in spiritual parents over the evolutionary lottery theory, because I have had an uplifting experience doing so. Since both types of creation are mathematically ridiculous, I choose the more hopeful one that has warmed my soul on hundreds of occasions over the years. We all want someone looking after us, and I have strong, albeit phenomenal, evidence suggesting that there are many looking after us, God as much as our ancestors. Placebo effect or not, this medicine works!