# What is the one thing (broadly defined) that you would not want to live without? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2015, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801 "2015-03-12T03:07:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/21 "2015-03-12T15:54:34Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As a Christian, relationship with God, but also I’m really scared of losing my eyesight. Blindness is a phobia for me. Thou shalt not steal! My answer that is – word for word! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/22 "2015-03-12T16:31:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > My mind. > > My father died from Alzheimer’s, so I know what it means to lose it. Same here. My wife’s grandmother is in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s, and my mother is regressing down that same road. My father, who’s just a few months from turning 90, has his wits fully about him, though his body’s gone to shit. I’d much rather have my mind after my body’s betrayed me than the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![funky\_little\_lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@funky\_little\_lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funky_little_lee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/23 "2015-03-12T17:40:15Z")
My creativity. If I couldn’t imagine, if I couldn’t write, if I couldn’t design things and bring them to reality, if I couldn’t make music, my life would be so flat it would be only existence, not living. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/24 "2015-03-12T17:40:38Z")
Animals in my life. Chocolate. Hubby. … … … Okay, not necessarily in that order. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/25 "2015-03-12T17:42:25Z")
Clean running water – you got that you have flush toilets,garden,power (water wheel) ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/26 "2015-03-12T17:45:44Z")
My wife. As long as I have her we can deal with anything that comes up. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/27 "2015-03-12T17:46:29Z")
My children, followed closely by my right mind. If either of those are taken away from me, I honestly have no reason to keep breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Last_Glacial_Maximum)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/28 "2015-03-12T19:52:00Z")
That feel of a fish just smashing whatever lure I am using in on any given day. The sensation you get while reeling can’t be beat ! . ---
**Author:** ![Whitney\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@Whitney\_Harper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitney_Harper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/29 "2015-03-12T19:54:42Z")
Caller ID. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/30 "2015-03-12T19:58:57Z")
An atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/31 "2015-03-12T20:09:16Z")
Human companionship and fellowship, however I do view that as a necessity like air, just a slower death if it is withheld. So children would be my answer. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/32 "2015-03-12T20:44:51Z")
Peace, as in the absence of war. Everything else seems tolerable. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/33 "2015-03-12T20:58:32Z")
Dogs ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/34 "2015-03-12T21:59:32Z")
Hot water on demand because a lifetime of cold baths/showers would suck. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/35 "2015-03-13T12:24:27Z")
The ability to communicate. Locked-In Syndrome is my worst nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/36 "2015-03-14T00:22:28Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Thou shalt not steal! My answer that is – word for word! And mine! So cool. I blame the latter on the episode of “Little House on the Prairie” when Mary Ingalls went blind ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/37 "2015-03-14T00:34:25Z")
My right hand. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801/38 "2015-03-14T18:39:51Z")
BBC iPlayer or Non-US made chocolate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-one-thing-broadly-defined-that-you-would-not-want-to-live-without/714801.md?page=1)