Blank pages…I have pondered deeply what to say to you, dear reader, in this – my first-ever blog post. Blank pages are the craggy path each would-be writer must traverse to acquaint themselves and their readers with the semblance of truth.
On this day, observing the eastern sun break the plane of my neighbor’s roofline, pouring through the pane – casting my shadow to the wall – I silently wonder: “Why would anyone want to read what I write?” It’s a fair, if brutally honest, question for which the answer must be equally brutal: offer at least one thing they can carry through their day without encumbering their spirit or reducing their sense of self-worth. After all, we live in cynical times, fraught with angry cries and mean-spirited rebukes from all corners of social media, about all manner of human frailties. That won’t likely change because of anything you read here.
But change – real, substantive, positive change – comes primarily from within ourselves. A special woman I knew taught me that. Plato said, “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.” But conquering self, in order to transform and transcend old habits and ways of thinking, is messy; it necessarily involves questions of ourselves that shine light into the darkest corners of our existence. Plato also said: “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
Let that sink in for just a moment.
Nobody is born with innate hatred, contempt or ill will toward others; no, those are learned behaviors. And while our own biases may not stray as far afield as overt contempt or ill will, we certainly know, in our heart of hearts, when we have slighted, ignored, or spurned another human. Teenagers who’ve been bullied to the brink of suicide, and beyond – when the evidence is examined – are often found to be victims not of one single act; rather, it is usually death by a thousand cuts. In other words, repeated, negative behavior often does NOT involve guns or other singular, violent attacks against our spirit or person. Nonetheless, the effects are lasting and scarring.
To be sure, many blogs offer advice, opinions, or perspectives tied to current events or topics broad enough to be of interest to those groups of readers who share careers, occupations, religious and/or political affiliations, or other affinities. Over time, this blog may offer some of that, too. Mostly, though, this blog space will be reserved for sharing perspectives on art, literature, philosophy, humanity and the world we all share. As such, your feedback & various perspectives will be welcome in the spirit given us by our creator. Oh, yes – lest I forget to warn you, I do believe in God. I don’t profess to know exactly who or what God is…I have no lock on the “truth,” as Pontius Pilate questioned of Jesus. What I do know is that – in my life – I have been blessed beyond measure, washed in Christ’s blood, and deserve NONE of the grace bestowed upon me.
My hope is in the Gospels and those sage words of Saint Augustine: “Every saint has a past; and every sinner, a future.”
So, should you find yourself here, reading this philosophy-laden screed, be conscious of this: you’re at least curious to know what I might say. On this day, it is simply this: treat one another as you would wish to be treated. Show compassion for the struggles of a complete stranger – perhaps offer them a kind word, a nod, a smile…an open door. In so doing, you may light their lamp with your own divine spark of hope for humanity.
The English writer & philosopher, John Watson, once wrote a Christmas greeting to his friends, as follows: “Be pitiful, for every man is fighting a hard battle.”
“Pitiful,” in this context, meant “full of pity” – empathetic. Indeed, to live in this world is to struggle with our humanity against our own demons.
This is the kindest gift – respect and sense of worth – that you may ever give. It costs you nothing, and immeasurably enriches another’s spirit. You are every bit as capable of this now as you were the day you first cried spilling from your mother’s womb. From that day until this, you’ve been on a journey. With each selfless act of kindness toward a stranger, you take another step closer to God.
Peace.