Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Forwards

So, this shows up in my inbox today. I have seen it before. It has been forwarded to me many times by various people.

Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. WE spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. WE have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

WE drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

WE have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love to seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. we've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We , but learn less. we plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicated less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember; to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Today, though, my H sent it and asked me if it really was attributed to George Carlin. So I snoped it and sure enough it was not said by George Carlin, he as a matter of fact spoke out against it, saying it was sappy shit.

Now you might think this is a post about verifying things. Nope, but as an aside, this is why I do not forward things. I receive many forwards like this, but chose not to take the time to verify in order to send on, or I will verify if I find the e-mail to be specifically touching to me, or forward with a warning that I could not verify it.

On one hand I think that it does not necessarily matter who or what wrote some of the inspirational stuff floating around out there, if it can stand on its own two feet for what it is alone, then it is ok to accept it as it is. One issue that disturbs me though is the "necessity" of belief that things have to have a story, a good background, a reason to be out there to have meaning. If something touches you, no matter where it comes from, can it not just stand on its own for the and be of value solely for the meaning of the words to ones being?

But, on the other hand, this was written by a pastor who has had 17 people accuse him of sexual molestation during his 29 years of "ministry". So, to know the true author does open another dimension regarding the words written. First I have to ask myself if this negates the words for what they are alone. Second I ponder how a person who is speaking about a way of life, a better way and the trap of a lesser way can do so when living the life he was. Sure it was alleged, so perhaps he really was pure as the driven snow, but if not, was he preaching to himself as much as to others in this? How do people write these things and pass them off as something else. The author probably did this originally, writing something, espousing something that he himself did not fully walk out in his own personal journey, but thought that others needed to hear it, the method of focusing on others instead of focus on self, focusing on pointing out the faults of the world instead of sitting in the presence of our self and focusing on our issues and need to change and grow. At this level the words written become more than just the words written, there is a story within a story, a variety of avenues to explore are revealed, and it becomes more than just the original message, it becomes a life story, perhaps one of repentance and redemption, or one of pride and blindness to self for an example.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp

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