Human Condition

It doesn't matter that there isn't time enough for everything.  That's the nature of the world.  There isn't time to do all that needs to be done.  There aren't enough time and resources to accomplish all that our humble perception reports to the creative, active mind.  Is spirituality enough?  Is Spirit sufficient for me?  Is employment enough?  Can it meet my needs?  Is art enough?  Does it accomplish anything worthwhile, even if it's only to make me feel good?  Spirit.  Commerce.  Art.

Spirit should be enough, and it is to the enlightened thought.  It is all-in-all to the heart on fire for spiritual things.  Is it surprising that the world is not on fire for Spirit?  It should not be, because the world doesn't set or hold the spiritual standard.  Who am I to judge?  Father, forgive me.  What do I know?  Maybe the world is on fire for Christ, and I am too depraved to see it.  I admit that as a possibility.  I have always tried to be objective about myself, about what I am.  It may be me who is the one consumed with darkness and depravity.  In which case, humble me Father and show me how to conduct myself, deeply flawed as I am, in this world.

The world doesn't set the standard of purity and goodness, Spirit does.  I don't set the standard for intelligence, morality, efficiency, and success.  For worldly things, the world sets its own standard.  I am not a world mover and shaker, so I am not involved in its standard setting and enforcement.  I'm just along for the ride, doing the best I can, and trying to live a good life, trying to figure out how to live a good life while there's still life in me.

I am a little, unimportant person and I can live with that.  I don't have to be a big shot.  I don't have to make a big deal out of living in the world.  I'm just here like everybody else.  The vast majority of people don't care about me, and that's the way it is for most of poor humanity.  We go it alone and most of us don't complain or cause trouble about it.  We just do what we need to do to get through life without causing too much trouble for others or drawing unnecessary attention to our insignificance.  We're here, we want to enjoy life as much as we can for as long as we can, and then go quietly into the eternal anonymity that is our common lot.  There's something noble and good about doing it and getting through it without a lot of fuss.  My sad time on the planet is no more tragic than any of the other millions of poor souls I share it with.  The commonality of human life chastens the individual and dissipates the tendency for either self-aggrandizement or self-pity.  Common humanity is life's great leveling power.  We might try to fight it, but the human condition will put each of us poor mortals in his place.

Mourning

Obama, Holder, Bloomberg, Cuomo.  Sad-eyed TV newsman.  I don't know you.  I don't want to know you.  I don't like you.  You're not my family.  Your people are not my people.  Why would I want to mourn with you over the deaths of little ones that I don't know?  Leave me alone.  I don't expect anything from you.  Don't expect anything from me.