Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 8, 1991 TAG: 9102080710
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
We appear to have an enormous capacity for creating and "handling" suffering, but a very small capacity for being truly peaceful and joyous. Even when we say that we can stand no more pain, ironically we not only handle it, we also spread it to others.
We suffer because we cannot get what we want, or cannot make it last, and because we are so disdainful of unpleasant situations. We know, deep down, that we cannot expect to satisfy our wanting, yet we seem controlled more by our wanting than by our appreciation.
When we awaken in the morning, do we have peace of mind? Are we happy to be alive, do we look forward to the challenges of the day, do we feel that we have something worthwhile to offer? Are we grateful for our warm bed and house, our loving mate beside us, our progeny around us? In our words and actions, do we say "good morning" to ourselves, our family and our neighbors?
Or do we share anxiety, frustration and impatience - all aspects of our fear to face our responsibility for our own lives? Do we see that our happiness and unhappiness are the fruits of seeds we've sown in the past, and that we are sowing the seeds of our future suffering and peace?
Perhaps tonight we can take a break from TV coverage of the war and see how well we share our own resources of peacefulness and patience and caring with ourselves and with our family. We don't need to depend on our technology, our troops, or our president to bring us real peace. JACKSON METCALF JR. SALEM
by CNB