You hear people of faith say they rely on their religion to comfort them during tough times. What do Atheists rely on?

The source of which is what exactly? Belief in themselves? Thank you for your reply L. I look at this way. Better yet I'm going to ask a question about it and explain. Perhaps you'll read it. :) ((hugs0)

Yes, belief in the knowledge that you can figure out solutions to your problems - sometimes with good advice from others and sometimes on your own.

Thank you for your reply L! As is always true different strokes for different folks! :)

Isn't there a saying about surviving fires making you stronger like steel or something Walt? You can't build muscle if you are never tested. It's surviving and even thriving that builds slowly into a strong person. I get a little help from my friends and family but honestly I try to figger things out on my own alone. I don't want to burden others nor become a burden. My mom told me this long ago. That people would love to help if I would only ask them. That helping people makes the helper feel useful and better knowing the help mattered. I try to remember that and I have gotten better at it. But some folks are so dam* NEEDY. Not my favorite people to be in the company of if ya get my drift. Thank you for your reply Walt! :)

My grandpa used to say something about "between the anvil and hammer" ... I have no idea if he made that up, or it was handed down.  I've never heard anyone else say it.

Then m'dear you are clearly blessed. Some people are simply born stronger. It has to be DNA that does it. A clinging vine that is very needy is something I would never be. I can't stand them. Whiners. Woe is me folks. Always the victim. Anyway mostly I rely on myself but as I said on another thread it comforts me to have a "cushion" that I know is always there if I need it. Financial or emotional or spiritual. Thank you for your reply Kg and Happy Friday to thee. This post was edited by RosieG at July 2, 2021 9:00 AM MDT

Allegedly we create our own reality. That is to say how we interpret what we experience. If we are pretzelized by others to believe untruths that is how we live our lives. There is no way to protect ourselves against that. People as a whole are not intelligent enough to fight it. People as a whole want to be accepted so they will believe whatever it takes to get that comfort. More's the pity. So how is YOUR reality treating you? Mine isn't doing so well. Thank you for your reply O and Happy Monday to thee and thine.

Reality is hard sometimes to accept.  But once one does, from mg perspective, the good always outshines the bad.  Yes, I am happy.

I would never try to argue that point with you m'dear. It happens to be the truth and I don't ever try to argue against that or undermine that. I think as we get older it's harder to do. Why? Well speaking only for me personally having little to do other than observe and think that's what I conclude. For years we are busy working and raising our families. When that's over and done what do we do with our time? Notice things that escaped us before? Think about things we never had time for before. The more you observe and think about the more there is to worry about. Sigh. I'm happy too in spite of/despite what has happened to my country in the last 4 years. I could be happier but who couldn't? Thank you for your reply O and Happy Wednesday to you and your family! :)

Who shaped you Durdle? Who were your teachers/mentors/role models? How much of you comes from them? We create our own reality allegedly. Sometimes they conflict with that of others and sometimes they are in perfect alignment. None of us is independent from the influences of others whether we are aware of it or not. So if you're lucky the "others" in your life were intelligent honest honorable just fair kind. I have no idea what the odds of that would be. These days in America the "influencers" for the most part are LIARS rotten to the core promulgating fantasies of historic proportions and seemingly getting away with it. So far. Thank you for your reply Durdle and Happy Monday to thee and thine! :)