Many believe that we have a vertical connection between ourselves and our maker, but many also believe that we have a horizontal connection between ourselves and all of humankind. This book will attempt not to convince you of the former but to present a compelling case for the latter. My basic premise is that the common experience of human existence reaches out across the ages of the world and connects all of us—all of humanity—in one existence that we instinctively sense and subconsciously know. We have no agreed-upon word for this interconnectivity of humankind, but we all experience it every day of our lives. For the purpose of this book, and for lack of a conventional name, I will employ the term forever to reference this great human connection.

In no way do I claim to have all the answers to life’s questions. I offer these chapters in the hope that they will stir thoughts within you about a larger human existence and rouse your curiosity sufficiently for you to explore the significance of your life. I want to help you obtain a broader perspective of your existence and a greater appreciation for your inherent worth and relevance as a human being. Through such insight and with encouragement, I hope you will aspire to higher callings in life, seek principled character, and pursue your full potential and purpose. With each chapter of this book, I intend to lead you to a deeper understanding of the special commonalities of human existence that are unmistakably mapped out within each of us. I want to help you find direction in life by teaching you how to reference the shared characteristics of humanity that are within you.

Chapter 1, “Gaining a Forever Perspective,” will establish a context for learning about yourself and your place within humanity. By having an infinite perspective on life, you will be able to perceive life in a broader way.

The next chapter, “Recognizing Your Forever Worth,” will guide you to a better understanding of your immeasurable worth. Chapter 2 will teach you how to measure your true value as a human being.

We will turn our attention in chapter 3, “Comprehending Humanity’s Higher Callings,” to the nature of humanity itself and discover how, as a human species, we are progressing from the primitive to the enlightened.

Chapter 4, “Understanding Your Forever Connection,” will explain your unbreakable link to humanity as a whole. This chapter will describe how you can gain strength and personal contentment from this vast, overarching relationship.

Chapter 5, “Cultivating Your Forever Character,” will explain how virtuous character can strengthen and enrich your life and human experience. The influence of the individual on humanity as a whole will be examined.

In a continuation of the third chapter’s discourse on humanity’s progression from the primitive to the enlightened, chapter 6, “Joining the Quest for Higher Callings,” will offer an in-depth focus on three additional human pursuits.

Working from the assumption that we each have the ability to contribute in a meaningful way to humanity, chapter 7, “Realizing Your Forever Potential,” will focus on the unlimited potential that is found within all of us.

Chapter 8, “Finding Your Forever Moment,” will reveal how undeniable moments of significance and insight serve as epiphanies in life and help us realize the true power and importance of our lives.

Books sometimes inspire us and introduce us to new concepts or new ways of thinking, but books cannot change your life—you must do that yourself. If you are to alter any aspect of your life, you must desire it, and you must instigate it. So to get the most out of this study, keep a personal diary as you read. Make a journal of your own thoughts, discoveries, ideas, questions, or insights about the topics presented in each chapter. Be creative. Be argumentative. Draw your own conclusions. Articulate your own beliefs and opinions. Disagree with me or write your own theories. Allow this book to be an interactive experience. The point is for you to become aware of your unique mind and personal existence, because somewhere deep within you is a map that can help you direct or redirect your life.