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Grubble Grubble
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Friday, June 05, 2009 :::
Ponderings...
We seem to have lost our compassion and that frightens me. When I lamented the loss of David Carradine, a friend of mine asked me why I was sad because "that old guy" killed himself. She could not fathom why I was upset. What has happened to us? Are we so jaded? Are we so lost? Is our national character so blackened that we no longer care for others and believe that torture is not just morally relevant, but actually moral?
I have often lamented that we are living in the decline of an empire, but this seems to prove it. And it is not an empire worth mourning. I recently had to avoid a rather stupid debate with a conservative friend of a friend of mine who essentially equated poverty with criminalism. Since when is it a crime to be poor? I realize that we are a free-market economy, but since when does money equate to moral superiority?
We are all the stars of our own movies. And with rare exception we tend to see ourselves as hero/heroine. I wonder how we would see things if we could step outside the movie and see ourselves from the view of the audience? Are we sympathetic characters? Are we heroes or simply protagonists?
I have always viewed myself as a good guy. But lately, when I step outside myself, I see myself more and more as a protagonist and not the hero. I work hard to live a good life, but I cannot say I have lived up to my own image of myself. I can see the pain I have caused in my life. For little good reason. I can feel my lack of compassion.
I do not think I am a monster. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I have a dear friend who likes to remind me on a regular basis that I bring much joy to the lives of many people. He regularly points out to me the lives I have touched and changed for the good. I love him for this and I need to hear this sometimes. We all do.
We must regularly examine our lives and truly look at ourselves long enough to see the warts along with the pearls. And we must change. Understanding our failings is not the same as making meaningful change.
The empire is in decline. That is the nature of time and civilization. But there is no reason why we, as individuals, should allow ourselves to decline as well. Seek change. Find compassion and make it a meaningful part of your thought and action. Choose to live a meaningful life.
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