Think. Thank.

Norman Podhoretz interviewed Professor Stanley Hooks shortly before he passed away.  Podhoretz asked the well-known atheist about his philosophy of life.  After hesitation, Hooks responded that when something meaningful happened to him - whether it be the birth of a grandchild or being missed by a falling brick – that he felt thankful (the comment made me want to ask, “Thankful to whom?  Or what?).

I sometimes think about all the things in life that could go awry but do not.  We live in a technological age where everything is delicately balanced: our dishwasher, alarm system, cruise control, vacuum, lights, house systems….   there are so many potential hazards throughout the day from death to accidents to radiation poisoning to our machines going on strike that it is a miracle that we make it through the day basically intact.  The odds of survival seemed to be stacked against us.  It is only an accident of birth that we did into enter the world in Somalia.

At the end of the day (if there is an end to the day) maybe it is worthwhile to thank God for having survived reasonably intact along with our family.  What a novel concept -- being thankful for all the things that did not go wrong.  And the potential of things "going south " is endless….

Helen Keller remarked, “I, who am blind, can give but one hint to those who can see.  One admonition to those who would make full use of the gift of sight: Use your eyes as if you would be stricken blind!

“And the same method could be applied to other senses.  Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow.  Touch each object as though tomorrow your tactile sense would fail.  Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you would never smell or taste again.

“Make the most of every sense, glory in all the facets of beauty which the world reveals…”.

A little poem I found has a lot of wisdom in it.

My Little Plant

My Little Plant died

I worried why

“Too much water

And it will die."
I question why

“Too much handling

And it will die”

My little plant lived

I asked not why

Just threw my arms

Exultantly high.

-Sada Applebaum

Thank You

Norman Podhoretz of Commentary Magazine fame once interviewed Professor Sidney Hooks, a few weeks before he died.  Hooks was a well-known atheist.

Podhoretz asked Hooks about his philosophy on life.  After a moment’s hesitation, Hooks replied that when something meaningful happens to him – whether it be the birth of a grandchild or by not being hot by a falling brick – he felt thankful.  (Note to self: Thankful to whom?)

Sometimes my mind meanders to all the things that could possibly happen to me.  Everything seems delicately balanced to fall apart at any given moment, especially in this technological age when all appears to be automated, the dishwasher, television, telephone, music systems, event he walls of our homes!  There are so many potential pitfalls of things that can go awry during the day from the greatest of them (death) to the least of them (the earphone jack does not work) that just getting through the day without a terrible mishap is a major accomplishment.  And it is only an accident of birth that we did not enter the world in say, Libya.

At the end of the day (assuming there will be a usual end to this day) it may be worth our while to be thankful having survived it reasonably intact, along with our family.  What an novel concept—to be grateful for all that did not go wrong.  And, of course, the potential for things to go “off course” is endless.

Helen Keller: “I, who am blind, can give but one hint to those who can see.  One admonition to those who would make full use of the gift of sight: Use your eyes as if you would be stricken blind!

“And the same method could be applied to the other senses.  Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow.  Touch each object as though tomorrow your tactile senses would fail.  Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you would never smell or taste again.

“Make the most of every sense, glory in all the facets of beauty which the world reveals…”

A short poem with more than a measure of wisdom:

My Little Plant

My little plant died

I worried why.

“Too much water

And it will die.”

My little plant died

I questioned why.

“Too much handling

And it will die.”

My little plant lived

I asked not why

Just threw my arms exultantly high.  –Sada Applebaum