Touring carries its treasures but also its tragedies.
This last while has been a great opportunity to see relatives, visit friends and make new acquaintances. I’ve seen the snarl of traffic on one of the nation’s superhighways and I’ve travelled the expanse of land with no one near. In the next few weeks I’ll continue my journeys.
While the visiting was exciting, the discussions around tables often tended towards news of the world and news of local happenings. In an archaic phrasing, the longer we talked the more we were “measuring man’s misery”.
Words and Wounds – Victimization and Mental Health issues have been highlighted. There was a saying – “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” I think we have come past that Stoic approach to life. There is a place for recognition of real harm done to others. But have we become so sensitive that we are no longer resilient in the storms of life, blown by every wind of offense?
Wisdom and Truth – Perhaps I’m just around the wrong people? The more we talk at table the more I’m sure we want truth and wisdom. The toll has been taken by a society that has many truths (one for each person) but no standard truth (using the word “standard” as a description of a truth that can be applied to all people). We have democratized truth to such an extent that there is no “true truth”. And everyone does what is right in their own eyes. How long until tyrants reign with power – fully justified by their own truths in a world that has no leg to stand on to combat that truth?
War and rumours of War – I don’t need to emphasize this table discussion item. One year since a war in Ukraine, weeks of Israel and Gaza in the news. Oh, and then there are those wars that have transpired for years in our globe but remained unspoken or unreported. Death and destruction are way too normal. Power and control take their thrones through bloodshed and violence. I’ve seen too much! When will the world find peace?
Will-fulness and Service – Years ago I read a book called “The Selfishness of America”. Enjoying a meal with friends and family reminds me: we live surrounded by the “me-ness” of the world. Whether it is discussion of family breakups or gossiped feuds, or perhaps the whispers of the lack of volunteerism within local institutions – I feel like we have lost the desire to work together, to serve others, to be humble. How can a world serve only themselves and live to see another day?
And then the conversation turns to Artificial Intelligence, the lack of proper privacy, the physical ills of a degraded health system and so much more. Even where people have tried to remain off grid, the whispers float into their atmosphere. We don’t need to step outside our daily life to be able to measure man’s misery.
I’m a believer in better things! There is a saviour from evil, a healer from harm. In a nation and a world with multiple pathways to peace, I walk the path of Jesus of Nazareth. Even around dinner tables I have frequented lately not everyone would agree with me. For the sake of those I “table” with, and those I am around, I sincerely raise this prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be demonstrated in a heart of peace and good will towards others.” In this, I would follow Jesus.
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