How Different Are We? A Group Participation Exercise Regarding Our Social Differences and Similarities

Hopefully this is not too late....Family is the most important thing to me and I would not want to live without at least one member of my family nearby. Dealing with my father lately has made me cherish it even more. Very intriguing hub Bill!

Only one? Well, my world revolves around my faith in Christ, which helps me to balance me entire life and enjoy it each day (what would I do without my Ed to make this all complete?). Great post, Bill. Seems like you have stirred the inner wheels to expose what really makes us tick. Have a great evening.

Happiness is hard to find. You have to look in the right places. ;-)

Hmm. To me, obviously friends and family are top of the list and glancing at Made's reply, being happy is up there as well; even if I had ill-health, I suspect, I would adjust.....but I would have to say, I couldn't live without self-expression...it has sustained me through loss of family and even in very sad times...even through tough economical times.

I know you didn't ask for second...but having love in my life comes a close second and that can include the love of a pet...just having someone to care and care for!

I am from Canada, eh.

Hi Bill, this will be an interesting hub to read.

For a short period of my life, many years ago, I had a very good friend. He asked me what I wanted to become. I told him I want to become happy. Being happy was the most important thing in my life. He said that it wasn't the answer he expected from me, but it made him smile.

I still think the most important thing for me is to be happy.

Hugs from Finland

Family. Hands down! from Pennsylvania.

How interesting Bill. Can't wait to read the article.

I live in Georgia, but I am a first generation Polish-American.

I could live live without this, but I would never willingly choose to --

the love and relationships with my family and friends.

Blessings.

Theresa

I look forward to your article regarding your research. The most important thing to me is my family and their well being.

So many comments Bill! Mine is like many others' --my family-Hard to separate kids and husband in this regard--so family it is!

I live in San Francisco, California, born and raised. I would have to say my love for my family and friends. Love is of the utmost importance to me. Great hub and voted up.

Hi Bill,

I would say family but they are not things so my answer is I can't live without gratitude and thanks for my family and friends. I live in Toronto, Canada.

I am looking forward to reading your findings.

Have a good evening my friend. :)

Voted up and away and sharing!

Well I thought really hard on this and it was a difficult thing to pick. I like in a place that is beautiful and God is all around me and Jesus is in my heart already. I have had several experiences with that. I don't have a car and not many neighbors which I feel safe to just go to their house to visit or call on the phone. I also have many cats and a dog in which I could not live without but ....not sounding materialistic or living in the sinful world that others claim materialistic is I would have to say that I could not live without a means to get on the internet. To me it is the only out to talk to others and we all need others. We only have one car...so my husband has to use that to get to his job.

Debbie

Interesting experiement I must make sure I get back to see the followup.

My answer is my family. The whole crazy bunch.

Now if your looking for a mataerilistic thing.... the Internet! Totally.

Now I must go bak and read the comments...is that cheating?! At least I answered first. ;)

~Becky

Billy, my paternal grandmother's name was Pearl. She taught me to feed the birds when I was very young. She and my Grandpa lived just down the rural road from us. They were both nature lovers. So as a tribute to them I use Grandma Pearl as my business name and my nom de plume!

But I will answer to either name! ;) Pearl (Connie)

Well, I've seen most of the answers as health, family, food, water etc. These are all the primary factors that define ourselves in our life. But, for a joke, I would give you the answer as "internet". I wouldn't have been able to write this answer if I didn't have internet and a Hubpages account. LOL!

Billy, my health is one thing I would never want to give up. If I can't get up each morning on my own, hear the birds singing, watch the sky, feel the wind and understand the ways of nature while I smell the fresh air, then what else would matter? from the Southern Tier of New York State--Connie Smith (Grandma Pearl)

This is a hard question Bill because everything is interlinked. My family is the most important to me but without my health I can't care of them or do the things I want to do for them, also without my health I could not do the things I enjoy doing most. My eyesight is my biggest problem and if I lost that I feel half my world would just close down. So I have to go with health.

I was born in the UK now living in New Zealand

Hi Bill,

What a great idea! Sorry to be late to the Par-tay! Whilst there a many things I would hate to be without (passion, sense of humor and compassion for others) they would be meaningless without my right-hand man by my side. Together 6 years I thank the day he came into my life turned it upside down, inside out and has been such a support to me and my family. My family I would hate to be without as we have always been close thankfully and I have so much admiration, love and respect for my parents of keeping us all on the straight and narrow (with a few twists along the way!). Suzie in the middle of nowhere in County Laois, Ireland in case you for forgot my friend!!

Without a doubt, my family is the mist important thing to me. I look forward to reading your follow-up article!

Oh, I'm from Ontario, Canada by the way.

Well Bill coming in a little later than usual I have to say that the top thing for me that I can't do without is of course my health followed closely by love and happiness. Looking forward to your article.

Love and friendship are the two most important things in my life... in other words, it's all about sharing with others as far as it concerns me!

We are all unique but it is only through the others that we can live and enjoy a full life.

Interesting idea, looking forward for the next article!

Hi Billy, happy Easter! I'm from Sri Lanka. For me the most important thing in my life is love for God and others which is meant to be shared.

Take care and may God bless you!

The most important thing in my life is my wife, children, grandchildren and my sister. To be able to stay sober for the rest of my life! To have great health for my family and myself.

I could not live without my family BUT I can live without alcohol right Bill. God Bless and Happy Easter my friend!!!

Dateline Central Florida. In a nutshell, my family is most important to me. My son, parents, brother and sister and my niece. I know one day I will have to live without some of them, but I don't have to deal with that just yet.

Close friends are important, too.

Wow, so many answers already. As this is Easter day, I only had time to read a few. Happy Easter, Everyone!

I'm from Texas, and my answer is also my family. My husband and kids mean everything to me. I never knew I could love and be this loved, here on Earth.

We are separate by our unique cultures and love makes us feel one and the same.

This is a great idea. I am happy to participate. I have always lived in Long Island, New York. For me, there is nothing that equals my need for my family and close friends. I especially want to note that everything I do, everything I don't do, everything I have ever done, and everything I want to do, including writing on Hub Pages is with my kids in mind. My family and friends and the unconditional support they give me has magnified my joys and diminished my sorrows. Nothing would have any meaning without the people I love around me.

Know me as you do, you know Deb's answer from Stillwater, OK: simply stated, the beauty of nature...

Great question, Billy, and the answer is quite simple...... Contentment! Being content with love, life, family, health.... Everything around me :)

“Happiness is self-contentedness.” - Aristotle

Lizzie, from CT

Hi Bill, I've thought about this in my usual plodding sort of way, and I think that love is actually an intrinsic part of every person, unless they happen to be a psychopath, when it is the missing part of that person. So love could theoretically be a part of emotional health. Naturally you need love to be able to care about others, so the love of family, whatever family that may be, is also a part of health. The five senses are what I would miss, and gee, they are part of physical health! So it seems to me that health, with all its aspects, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, is the most important thing to me.

I'm in Cleveland Ohio, and like many others who've responded, my family is the one thing I couldn't live without, with health a close second. My family has stood by me thru thick and thin. I still have the same family while I've somehow managed to burn thru two wives :)

I'm not surprised that most are answering this question similarly. I think you've asked a question with a pretty universal set of answers. It's also not a controversial question. Next question, make it a toughie!

Happy Easter

Hi, my family is everyhing to me, I can't imagine a day without them.

In fact they are my world and the feeling you get inside when you see them happy, can't be topped by anything for me.

I am a Scottish soul and definately more interested in gaining spiritually than materially.

My family, something I cannot imagine living without, without family I might technically be alive, but I am not sure if I could define a life without family as living.

I am of mixed heritage, east and west, a guy, and currently living in Croatia.

Curiosity is killing me, hope you write the article before I use up one of my nine lives.

Originally from NYC, I moved to England in 1989.

My first impulse was to say the usual things like money, a big house, lots of holiday etc. But the fact of the matter is without someone to share this with, it's so pointless.

So I would have to say that the most important thing in the world to me is to love and be loved. Possessions come and go, but love is a joy forever and should be embraced as tightly as possible.

I can't imagine life without LOVE and FAITH... I know these are two very important elements in my life. Can't wait to read your finished article!

Bill, for me the most important thing is to have family and friends that love and care for me while I do the same for them. That would mean love, family and friends. And try to do a kind deed everyday.

I live in San Francisco. My answer, now, is my wife.

I think the most important aspects in my life are family and friends, followed closely is good health and peace of mind and laughter. There was a time in my life when i found it difficult to be happy. I might add that contentment is right up there on top. I have celiac disease, so in all honesty, a cheeseburger on a big fat bun would make me a happy camper..Cheers..

Good health is paramount for me so I can enjoy a loving family ... and chocolate!

Ok, I think you know my answer and it is pretty simple (the reason I wasn't here until now today), because what is most important to me is Kevin and my girls. For instance, today we had the best day and getting to see something through y girls eyes (going to a movie for the very first time). The best part of this experience was not only seeing the excitement on their faces, but being told by Emma that this day was "awesome"!! Simply put family is what it is all about. Happy Ester again Bill and hope you weekend has been great so far!!

Hmmm,,, this is an easy one. Love! The love for my daughter, grandson, boyfriend and family. I could not live without their love for me or mine for them. It is what makes me get up everyday. I know it may sound sappy and a little hippy-ish, but without love, you have nothing. Some material things are essential in order to have shelter and food, but I can survive without owning a home, or driving a flashy car and owning a 'Coach' handbag. I would happily live in a shoe box and eat at the local soup kitchen for the rest of my life in exchange for a lifetime of love! Cumberland, Rhode Island. I'm looking forward to your hub and also did not look at the other comments! Heading there now though to see how I did!

I am most concerned with being better today than I was yesterday. Subjective, I know, but so is most of my life. Louisville, KY

Bill, for me it is peace of mind. If I have this, it means either all is well with everyone and everything I hold dear or that I can survive and be useful when it is not. I've lived all across Canada and in Ireland but am home now on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.

I'm looking forward to reading the next hub and didn't read anyone's comments except Martie's... it was right there looking at me :)

Hi Billy, I haven't read the comments - don't want them to have an effect on my thoughts...

So here is my answer: I am from South Africa and the most important things in my life is the people I love. First my children and grandchildren, mother, siblings, then rest of my relatives and friends. Some of my friends are more important than my relatives (extended family), i.e. my boyfriend and closed girlfriends...

Everything else is sub-ordinate...

I look forward to your article...

It's amazing the things I have found that I can, have, and do live without. The one thing that I know causes me the most distress when it is absent from my life is human contact - whether that be loving relationships or not. I don't think we are meant to be alone ... at least, I'm not.

Hi Bill. I grew up in Rhode Island and live in Massachusetts. The one thing I could not live without is family. Second would be Italy :) Just joking. Without family what do we have? Nothing. Look forward to the Hub on this topic.

Interesting survey. Though, if I have to be honest, I would say I can't live without money, for without it, how would I be able to pay the bills, support a family, etc.?

One thing I cannot live without: peace---peace of mind. I am useless to my loved ones without it. It is why I would like to work for world peace, because families need peace to function and grow.

I grew up in New Jersey but live in the Chicago area now.

P.S. I think rasta1's answer is awesome!!

Hi Billy, I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and have lived here my entire life. My parents are Cuban. They have been living in the United States for over 45 years now. I value a number of things. For instance, family, health, love and companionship are very important to me. However, comfort, stability and security are three things that I value most. What a creative hub Billy. I love how you make me think out of the box. Excellent question. Wishing you and Bev a very Happy Easter.