The first is a quote from Horace Walpole - I don't know the source alas - in which he says:
'Imagination was given to us to compensate us for what we are not. A sense of humour was provided to console us for what we are'.
I do think that is worth pondering. I want to remember that when I am taking life too seriously. I first found this quote in a book by *Joan Chittister. She suggests that there 'are some things that must always be laughed at in life:
1) Laugh when people tell a joke. Otherwise you might make them feel bad.
2) Laugh when you look into a mirror.
3) Laugh when you make a mistake. If you don't you're liable to forget how
ultimately unimportant the whole thing really is, whatever it is.
4) Laugh with small children.
5) Laugh at situations that are out of your control.
6) Laugh at anything pompous.
7) Finally, laugh when all your carefully laid plans get changed...you're free now
to do something else.
Second random thought:
If we human animals (and we are members of the animal world) become love (which I think is the intention that Jesus was wanting for us) then all of creation thrives. Perhaps it is because we have evolved in a particular direction and are more able to manipulate and control our animal qualities (to eat, to reproduce, to defend territory and lots more) and therefore our environment, that God 'decided' that we needed a lot of help. We are not to use these gifts to destroy everything though we often seem to be working hard at doing just that. So we have been given love as our possibility and our guide. But we are free to choose it or not. Other members of the animal world don't have that freedom but they also don't destroy the world. It is a wondrous responsibility we have.
*Joan Chittister: For Everything a Season, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y.,1995/2013.
1 comment:
Nice thoughts. Laughing certainly does put things in perspective. And thanks for the animal thoughts. I'm not so sure though that other animals aren't also guided by love. There are plenty of anecdotes that suggest they are and I've certainly experienced it with my cats. We certainly have more power in this world than the other animals, but I'm not sure we always understand what motivates the others. Unfortunately we don't speak the same languages. And that power certainly compels us to use it responsibly so as so reduce as much human and non-human animal suffering as possible.
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