WHERE ARE WE, REALLY?
Think of it this way. . .
When you seriously give it pondered thought, most of what we do every single day is done for others. And that presents us with a puzzling situation, because we live in a world where so many refuse to get involved in other people’s lives. Witness a true incident some years ago where a woman was being attacked by man with a knife. Her screams saw only windows and doors being shut to block the noise. When interviewed, neighbors excused themselves with comments like, “It was none of my business,” and “I didn’t want to get involved.”
We no longer dare pick up hitchhikers (our younger generation may not know what that is anyway). We double deadbolt our houses and quick lock our automobiles; we just as quickly shred records, documents and receipts. The security business is booming (alarm systems, metal detectors, identity protection) to protect us from the unscrupulous ilk and ill of mankind. All this plus the legal regulation of our civil rights and privacy laws, along with our country’s ridiculous political division has driven us to isolation and seclusion from one another. Thus, we’re afraid and suspicious of each other. Is this healthy?
Just today on the radio I heard that an astonishingly high percentage of adult men do not have an especially close friend and very few friends. Have we forgotten how to relate to one another, except in superficial ways?
“In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent?” – King Solomon, Bible
I may not have a tailor-made, custom-fit answer for that, but I know who does and He’s willing to share His wisdom to help you to become a compassionate human brother and brother’s keeper.
“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” – Lao Tzu
Definition of compassion: Interest in or concern for the welfare/happiness of others; sympathetic and compassionate mean the same thing, a feeling for and suffering with another person.
Other “C” words with which to work: Courtesy, Caring, Cooperation, and being Considerate. Don’t you just love it when a puzzle gets solved?
-John D.
