We should cope with our circumstances because life can be wonderful and probably the one and only life we'll have (at least the only one we know of now.) We do have control over our experience in this world and can help our experience by thinking positively and then doing what we need to do to make our life more tolerable and enjoyable.
Realize that you were created (by God, the Great Creator, Mother Earth, or whatever) with special gifts and talents, besides a special challenge, and you need to find these and use them to your advantage to give your life meaning.
Hope for the future - you may find new ways of expressing yourself, using your gifts and talents; there may be new inventions and medicines that could make life more tolerable and enjoyable for you. There are so many possibilities in this life - you can never experience them all - learn everything there is to learn, meet all the interesting people, etc.
Life can be its own reward, but if we need more than that, no matter what your religion you can have hope for the afterlife. Even if you're not sure of Heaven or reincarnation or some similar experience, the afterlife for an atheist is what they've shared with others. Every life a person touches has meaning. People remember the smallest things - even if they don't remember your name, they may remember the smile that brightened their day, your ability to have courage and hope that gave them courage and hope during a hard time (and they in turn could be passing it on to others.) Whatever your gifts and talents, they could effect people in a way that can remain for many lifetimes.
Joyce Dowling
an agnostic Unitarian Universalist
Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church
7400 Temple Hill Rd.
Camp Springs, MD 20748