Green Oasis

I tried an interesting experiment today. As I walked to my lunch spot, I looked at the people walking the other way and for each person thought to myself I wish you well.

It was interesting to observe my feelings as I did this form of compassion meditation. I observed whom I sincerely wished well (those I perceived to be less fortunate/attractive/talented than I), whom I actually wished the opposite of well (those I perceived to be more fortunate/attractive/talented than I), and whom I wished well in a rather distracted, artificial way (attractive women).

The most enlightening to me were the vast majority to whom I was indifferent. Most people didn’t elicit feelings in me one way or the other.

Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB) is a multi-drug resistant form of tuberculosis that is a growing source of concern throughout the world. The Big Picture has photos of sufferers of XDR TB by James Nachtwey who wants to raise awareness of this disease.

Life and health seem so fragile.

I get the feeling that we’ve lost a real mensch in Paul Newman. When asked why he was a philanthropist, he answered:

Well, I think above all things I acknowledge luck. And I mean, if you think of that torrent of sperm out there…

And — and ours was lucky to fall where it did. That’s for starters. You can’t pick your own parents, but you may be lucky enough to have parents that give you the gift of induction and deduction and certain intelligence, certain way you look. I mean, it’s all — So I — I’ve been very lucky. And I — I try to acknowledge that by giving back something to those to whom luck has been brutal.

He seems like he would have been a good person to talk to.

(via The Situationist)

Update: I’m not the only one to be struck by a je ne sais quoi about Newman. Roger Ebert seems equally perplexed and admiring. I want to call him an Existential Man for no particularly good reason (or even a clear understanding of what it means).

By the way, this is my 400^th post. Yay me!

My oldest daughter has taken to asking God to “protect all the good people” and “make sure there are no hurricanes or tornadoes” and other similarly kindhearted, faithful wishes for the general welfare. Our world-wise adult reflex is to prompt her to water down her requests to something meaningless like “please watch over them”. Why?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, … if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:21–22)

For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

If nothing is impossible for God, why can’t he seem to muster the same benevolence as my child? Have adult believers learned to be less compassionate in their prayers in order to cover for God’s lack of compassion?

I last read The Old Man and the Sea for seventh grade reading class. What a difference twenty years make! While I’m not yet old, some lessons come only with time: they can’t be rushed. The consciously futile struggle against mortality enriches our stark, youthful views into compassionate, full color vistas.