what is real?

what is your definition of real and how do you distinguish what is real from what is not?

re al1
adj.
1. Being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verifiable existence: real objects; a real illness.
2. True and actual; not imaginary, alleged, or ideal: real people, not ghosts; a film based on real life.
3. Of or founded on practical matters and concerns: a recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time.
2. Genuine and authentic; not artificial or spurious: real mink; real humility.
3. Being no less than what is stated; worthy of the name: a real friend.
4. Free of pretense, falsehood, or affectation: tourists hoping for a real experience on the guided tour.
5. Not to be taken lightly; serious: in real trouble.
6. Philosophy. Existing objectively in the world regardless of subjectivity or conventions of thought or language.
7. Relating to, being, or having value reckoned by actual purchasing power: real income; real growth.
8. Physics. Of, relating to, or being an image formed by light rays that converge in space.
9. Mathematics. Of, relating to, or being a real number.
10. Law. Of or relating to stationary or fixed property, such as buildings or land.

see? even the dictionary has several definitions of "real"!

"real" is a vague word and people have different definitions on what is real and was is not. being the math hater that i am, i still think the field of mathematics is luckier because it is much easier to define numbers that are "real". don't you agree? they give concrete answers. numbers. EXACT answers.

isn't it scary that everyday there are people who take that great leap of their lives into the dark, murky, water of uncertainty? who knows what's beneath the surface? who knows if they'd come back alive? who knows if the jump is really worth it or not? is it always going to be sink or swim? i hate being clueless. i hate making that jump because, for the life of me, i do not know how to swim (save for plunging into the water not less than 5ft or just backfloating for as long as i can).

most people i know would tell me that life is always unpredictable and that life's answers to our questions are not meant to be answered. they are going to present themselves in their own way or perhaps will never present themselves at all. and sometimes these questions are meant to be answered by finding out for yourself in a harsh way-- no one promised us that we won't get through life unscathed anyhow.

life is not to be questioned but to be lived. and risks are a part of that package deal we have with God when He blew the breath of life into us.

but all these things mean nothing when i ask "what is real from the unreal?" again. whether i like it or not, i might as well just hang on for dear life, enjoy the ride, and find out for myself. afterall, experience is the best teacher and i just might learn for this experience.

(and just trying to figure out what is real from was it not will just give me a headache).