Web of life
"The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession." --Mark Twain
Precious is that which binds us together abut is it something we possess? I confess at times I try to go it alone. As far as universal brotherhood goes it would seem that we are in a time of unilateral brotherhood. Though as much air time and headline space war and strife receive, I believe kindness and generosity prevail. I only claim to know what I have learned from my own experience and many people have touched my life and supported and sustained me.
First is family, I have been blessed to have such a supporting father and mother. I had always been encouraged in what I wanted to do and my grand parents also instilled in me a work ethic that though not always visible has allowed me to reach some levels of success in my endeavors. Not only did I receive their working sensibility but also their sense of "the story". My fathers father was always telling stories and he had some great ones. Our family history was passed on in these stories and it was an interesting history as my grand fathers family fled from Russia under the threat of Stalinist pressures. I feel that the sense of familial story lines has been lost in America. The level of our successes as a nation and the sense of the individual as hero are parts of the demise of the family story. Each new generation wants to start over someplace new. It is hard to develop a sense of community when their is no sense of family. As my children grow I want them to be connected to my past ass well as their mothers and carry on worthy traditions and start new ones and encourage them to continue to do the some with out abandoning what has come before. In order for this to happen it is important to stay connected. Without the connections of family and friends our circumstances would be pretty dire. I am grateful for al the people that the Lord has put into my life and though I don't always live up to the level of gratitude that I feel I should I am still grateful. In a book by a rabbi I once read was a quote that has had much resonance with my soul. "Life is with people." So simple sounding yet a thoroughly profound statement. Without people I definitely would not have life. As I try to understand how the relationships I have with others are all strands in the web of life I work to remember those that have supported me and encouraged me and pass it on making it possible for the story line to continue on.
Grace and Peace, Mark
Precious is that which binds us together abut is it something we possess? I confess at times I try to go it alone. As far as universal brotherhood goes it would seem that we are in a time of unilateral brotherhood. Though as much air time and headline space war and strife receive, I believe kindness and generosity prevail. I only claim to know what I have learned from my own experience and many people have touched my life and supported and sustained me.
First is family, I have been blessed to have such a supporting father and mother. I had always been encouraged in what I wanted to do and my grand parents also instilled in me a work ethic that though not always visible has allowed me to reach some levels of success in my endeavors. Not only did I receive their working sensibility but also their sense of "the story". My fathers father was always telling stories and he had some great ones. Our family history was passed on in these stories and it was an interesting history as my grand fathers family fled from Russia under the threat of Stalinist pressures. I feel that the sense of familial story lines has been lost in America. The level of our successes as a nation and the sense of the individual as hero are parts of the demise of the family story. Each new generation wants to start over someplace new. It is hard to develop a sense of community when their is no sense of family. As my children grow I want them to be connected to my past ass well as their mothers and carry on worthy traditions and start new ones and encourage them to continue to do the some with out abandoning what has come before. In order for this to happen it is important to stay connected. Without the connections of family and friends our circumstances would be pretty dire. I am grateful for al the people that the Lord has put into my life and though I don't always live up to the level of gratitude that I feel I should I am still grateful. In a book by a rabbi I once read was a quote that has had much resonance with my soul. "Life is with people." So simple sounding yet a thoroughly profound statement. Without people I definitely would not have life. As I try to understand how the relationships I have with others are all strands in the web of life I work to remember those that have supported me and encouraged me and pass it on making it possible for the story line to continue on.
Grace and Peace, Mark
posted by Mr. MDH | 11/26/2004 02:24:00 PM
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