KEEP HEART NAIVE, LET MIND BE CYNIC
By Olivene Godfrey
Young people have always been idealistic-- envisioning things as they should be or wished to be rather than as they are.
But, a mark of our human maturing means to recognize reality, to tolerate it emotionally, and to build habits and attitudes suitable for dealing with it.
Fifty years ago life seemed so simple, at least to me it did.
I had yet to learn Anatole France's philosophy--"It is well for the heart to be naive and for the mind not to be."
Still, now that I'm older, I find myself now and then in conflict
With my mind and my heart. I still find myself wanting to believe that Real Life is really the way it was depicted in the 1930s and 1940s in the movies. You know, the Good Guys were clearly defined and always won over the "Bad Guys".
But, then you grow up and you realize that people aren't always, as they appear to be. You discover your parents and your friends are only human beings who sometimes make mistakes. Your heart aches at the bitter end of dreams. Then, you discover that nothing is all black or all white-- no person, no professional group (doctors, lawyers, educators, you name it.) is all good or all bad.
You are no longer awed by titles or professions. You aren't likely to be shocked by anything. You learn the difference between a politician and a statesman-- one definition by James Freeman Clarke: "A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation". You sometimes wonder where all the statesman are.
As a child you were awed by schoolteachers. As an adult you know they are only human-- some dedicated, some mediocre. You marvel at the patience of educators who take the time to try to find causes of misbehavior rather than simply attempting to stop the actions. And you are appalled by those, despite their training, appear to be unaware of the fact that children want to be loved, to be accepted, to succeed, and that each child is an individual and differs from other children.
So, finally most of us grow up and somehow we survive deep disappointments and shattering griefs. Some react with bitterness, others with courage. Some go through life trying to prove something--searching or reaching for something-- or getting back at someone. But, if you can manage to keep your heart naive, you know that human beings are capable of being magnificent as they often are. And if age beings you wisdom you know better than to judge.
You learn how to love with more understanding. And understanding does have to be acquired-- there's no easy way. Now you can learn and understand your fellowmen, even when he doesn't deserve to be loved. And perhaps that is when he needs your steadying hand, the comforting shoulder, most of all. These words by Stephen Grellet are worthy of being adopted as a credo for living,” I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now.
See you next time.
By Olivene Godfrey
Young people have always been idealistic-- envisioning things as they should be or wished to be rather than as they are.
But, a mark of our human maturing means to recognize reality, to tolerate it emotionally, and to build habits and attitudes suitable for dealing with it.
Fifty years ago life seemed so simple, at least to me it did.
I had yet to learn Anatole France's philosophy--"It is well for the heart to be naive and for the mind not to be."
Still, now that I'm older, I find myself now and then in conflict
With my mind and my heart. I still find myself wanting to believe that Real Life is really the way it was depicted in the 1930s and 1940s in the movies. You know, the Good Guys were clearly defined and always won over the "Bad Guys".
But, then you grow up and you realize that people aren't always, as they appear to be. You discover your parents and your friends are only human beings who sometimes make mistakes. Your heart aches at the bitter end of dreams. Then, you discover that nothing is all black or all white-- no person, no professional group (doctors, lawyers, educators, you name it.) is all good or all bad.
You are no longer awed by titles or professions. You aren't likely to be shocked by anything. You learn the difference between a politician and a statesman-- one definition by James Freeman Clarke: "A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation". You sometimes wonder where all the statesman are.
As a child you were awed by schoolteachers. As an adult you know they are only human-- some dedicated, some mediocre. You marvel at the patience of educators who take the time to try to find causes of misbehavior rather than simply attempting to stop the actions. And you are appalled by those, despite their training, appear to be unaware of the fact that children want to be loved, to be accepted, to succeed, and that each child is an individual and differs from other children.
So, finally most of us grow up and somehow we survive deep disappointments and shattering griefs. Some react with bitterness, others with courage. Some go through life trying to prove something--searching or reaching for something-- or getting back at someone. But, if you can manage to keep your heart naive, you know that human beings are capable of being magnificent as they often are. And if age beings you wisdom you know better than to judge.
You learn how to love with more understanding. And understanding does have to be acquired-- there's no easy way. Now you can learn and understand your fellowmen, even when he doesn't deserve to be loved. And perhaps that is when he needs your steadying hand, the comforting shoulder, most of all. These words by Stephen Grellet are worthy of being adopted as a credo for living,” I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now.
See you next time.
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