Dave VH, I respect your beliefs although they have, as you say, "no basis in objective truth" and hope that you will respect mine which also have no basis in "objective truth". But I don't understand what you mean by objective "truth". Objective fact, yes, that is scientific, but truth? "Truth" is subjective and can't be otherwise. I don't believe in coincidence which means I believe everything does happen for a reason. I believe that the universe is designed (some would say that design is from God), to provide what is for the best for every person at any point in time who accepts what comes naturally, rather than fighting it in a desire to have better. I agree with you that "Sending positive thoughts~" is a cop out. I base my beliefs on what I've observed in my own life which, of course, can't be "objectively" proven. I think the word Kharma is overused but do believe it has a real, again not provable, basis. Not that your actions in this life carry over into the next but I believe, again based on personal experience, that we each have an eternal soul, or Self, but this current life is mere illusion, and we live many lives, each its own illusion. And I blindly believe nothing beyond what can be scientifically proven and what I've learned through personal experience.