Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.
-----Gordon Adam Lindsay
Have you come across this poem before? It's beautiful and true, isn't it?
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Froth and bubble.... if you think about it, life is indeed most of the time froth and bubble. Temporary, fleeting, sometimes meaningless. Those things which we do for ourselves really don't matter where it should matter most. Superficial ---- We spend so much time "caring too much about how we look. about how other people look. about what we say and do and what other people say and do". And we think that's important because it is all about us. Our dreams, ambitions, experiences, opinions, achievements or failures ... our lives. Not that those things in itself are bad; those have its uses, too. But honestly we can take that only to a certain extent. Beyond a certain point it would matter no more.
.
And that certain point is when everything about us is satisfied or sated. Thereafter things only get repeated over and over, again and again and in effect lose its relevance at all. Pointless... meaningless... 'been there-done that' is what some would say. Jaded robotic existence.
.
But have you noticed how your soul comes alive when your focus shifts to another person? Particularly when you share of your self generously... selflessly? Feel the vibrant energy oozing out from you? A spark is lighted (you don't even know how it got there) and you get infused with its brilliant light. You become alive!
.
The same magic happens to you when you face your struggles and challenges with new-found strength... strength you thought no longer existed. Bravery in your own is a magnificent thing. You begin to see life anew with renewed hope, courage, and faith.
.
Kindness and courage .... both give meaning to life --- and life to meaning.
.
Blessings to you all!
Have you come across this poem before? It's beautiful and true, isn't it?
.
Froth and bubble.... if you think about it, life is indeed most of the time froth and bubble. Temporary, fleeting, sometimes meaningless. Those things which we do for ourselves really don't matter where it should matter most. Superficial ---- We spend so much time "caring too much about how we look. about how other people look. about what we say and do and what other people say and do". And we think that's important because it is all about us. Our dreams, ambitions, experiences, opinions, achievements or failures ... our lives. Not that those things in itself are bad; those have its uses, too. But honestly we can take that only to a certain extent. Beyond a certain point it would matter no more.
.
And that certain point is when everything about us is satisfied or sated. Thereafter things only get repeated over and over, again and again and in effect lose its relevance at all. Pointless... meaningless... 'been there-done that' is what some would say. Jaded robotic existence.
.
But have you noticed how your soul comes alive when your focus shifts to another person? Particularly when you share of your self generously... selflessly? Feel the vibrant energy oozing out from you? A spark is lighted (you don't even know how it got there) and you get infused with its brilliant light. You become alive!
.
The same magic happens to you when you face your struggles and challenges with new-found strength... strength you thought no longer existed. Bravery in your own is a magnificent thing. You begin to see life anew with renewed hope, courage, and faith.
.
Kindness and courage .... both give meaning to life --- and life to meaning.
.
Blessings to you all!
That was a brilliant exposition and elucidation of the poem!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind and generous comment. Truly your kindness has infused the passion for writing with even more zeal to write. How can anyone not be inspired by that?!
DeleteMay your day and days be blessed with abundance, in Christ.