Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Standing Better

Follow a straight path and do not walk in the footsteps of ignorant men.

The Koran
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When I read this quote I thought, Well, that's good common sense. Then I ran across this parallel quote from Psalms "Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity."

Yesterday I wrote about being a leader and not a follower, or, more precisely, not getting on board when some idiot is riding his hobbyhorse thorough the land.

These two quotes caused me to stop and think. Every morning when I fire up the computer the first thing I do is check the news. It isn't long before I'm irate about something: people who have no authority sounding off about some issue. reading how our money is being wasted by programs that don't work and by large corporation executives pilfering us one way or another, bad laws being enacted and good laws not being administered, courts making stupid decisions, people who think they are clever casting humorous but insulting remarks about other people, pastors praying for the failure and death of our president, congress members vowing to vote against bills for political reasons only, foreign leaders justifying kidnapping, torture and assassination, bombing of civilians, religious leaders assigning divine causes to natural disasters, insane hatred expressed for racial, religious, national, cultural or social reasons, crime, disease, poverty, homelessness, ignorance, desperation and whole groups trying to hold back and reverse the improvements and progress of the world.

I realize I'm doing exactly what the Koran says not to do. I'm walking in the footsteps of ignorance by giving it part of the most impressionable part of my day. I am fretted before I even get to my email. I have been led to get on board and ride the hobbyhorse of anger, outrage and disgust. I'm doing exactly what evil wants me to do. I am an unwitting follower of the workers of iniquity by my reactions and envious fascination with the wrongs of the world.

A better reaction is to begin the day by finding the solid ground of my own sense of peace and right, to stand firmly on it and let it guide my thinking and not get on board the nowhere ride to chaos.

DB - The Vagabond
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SPRING QUESTION
(This is not a contest.)

In your opinion what is the most amazing thing that could happen during this decade? Make it as outrageous as you want but keep it within the realm of what you consider a possibility.

Only 7 responses so far.

Answers will be published the first day of Summer.

dbdacoba@aol.com

DB - The Vagabond
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5 comments:

Donna. W said...

Peace.

pacifica62 said...

The "nowhere ride to chaos". I like that description. Feels like it doesn't it? The lunacy, the sheer madness of it all. There are no limits on man's inhumanity to man. Your "better reaction" is admirable and one well worth considering.

Valerie said...

I started watching and reading less news about five years ago because it was taking away my peace of mind and joyfulness. I thought I was going to feel less enlightened by not having the information. I don't. I find I read the most important news and leave the rest alone. That is enough for me. One can find more time for hobbies and inspiration if they put down the newspaper and turn off the TV, too.

Hope your day is going well... Val xox

Ken Riches said...

I think not starting the day with our negative and sound bite news is an excellent idea. I hate starting the day angry.

Liz said...

You never got on board with the idiots, but you did attempt to clean up after the horses.
A cultivated rose requires a certain amount of manure in order to flower well. Excess will burn the whole plant and probably only leave the wild root stock alive.