Mar 14, 2009
I was listening to some music the other day, and I heard an old
favorite: Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence." I have
been known to say that my definition of great writing is one which
reveals new things to the reader no matter how many times you read
it. By that measurement, this is one of the greatest!
There is a story in the words to that song, and the story brings
with it some powerful verbal imagery. And it leads us to one
of the truths which we all need to confront.
What I see revealed here is a basic truth about ourselves and our
nature. And as a result, it seems the obvious conclusion is
that there is one thing which none of us will ever do. Not a
one of us is capable of doing it.
The irony is that there are many people whose own belief system is
such that they are sentenced to living their lives in denial of
this truth, but it is there nevertheless. And by what I say
that they cannot do, it implies that there is something that they
are doing, because what they cannot do is to avoid doing it.
They might do it on a different basis, but they do
nevertheless.
A puzzle? Not if you know what it is that we cannot
do.
And because we cannot do that one thing, there is something else
which takes on even greater importance as a result. And it is
something which you probably are doing.
And it's what makes things exciting. And it begins with
knowing what it is that you will never do.
Blessed Be!