Diogenesister Thanks for the feedback on my analogy.
I remember years ago, an elder gave an illustration. I found out he stole it from a Jack Finney story (summary below)
"Of Missing Persons"
What happened to Judge Crater and Ambrose Bierce? Charlie Ewell thinks he found out. What seems fascinating and possible after a couple of beers and late in the evening seems quite different in the bright light of the next day. But, Charlie is curious, so he decides to visit the Acme Travel Bureau anyway. If they decide he's the "right type," they will bring out a folder from beneath the counter, a folder they just made up as a joke. It's about a trip, one-way, to a planet called Verna. Why go to Verna?
Life is simple there, and it's serene. In someways, the good ways, it's like the early pioneering communities here in your country, but without the drudgery that kill people young. There is electricity. There are washing machines, vacuum cleaners, plumbing, modern bathrooms, and modern medicine, very modern. but there are no radios, television, telephones or automobiles. Distances are small. and people live and work in small communities. They raise or make most of the things they use. Every man builds his own house, with all the help he needs from his neighbors. Their recreation is their own, and there is a great deal of it, but there is no recreation for sale, nothing you buy a ticket to. They have dances, card parties, wedding, christenings, birthday celebrations harvest parties. There are swimming and sports of all kinds. There is conversation, a lot of it, plenty of joking and laughter. There is a great deal of visiting and sharing of meals and each day is well filled and well spent. There are no pressures, economic or social, and life holds few threats. Every man, woman,and child is a happy person.
It almost sounds too good to be true, and that's what bothers Charlie.
Of course, Charlie goes to the waiting station, a barn outside of town, where he waits with others for the transporter to take them to Verna. But, after a period of delay, he gets impatient, feels like the whole thing is a big prank, and walks out.
And of course, 5 seconds later, the rest of the group is beamed away. And he blew his only chance.
And that's the point the brother made, that we must be patient or we will lose our chance.
Or, borrowing my analogy, we could be waiting at the bus stop until we die, and so will our progeny.