Good People
What you are thunders so loudly that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, philosopher and lecturer (1803-1882)
Suppose your neighbor's house is on fire.
What you would do, what you would aspire to do, and what you would admire if others were to do it are measures of your character.
Is it fair to criticize one neighbor if she acts first to protect her own home from also catching fire?
If another neighbor rushes to attach a garden hose in an attempt to halt the fire's advance, would you urge caution, saying "maybe the fire will go out on its own?"
Would you abrandon the house to burn, but propose a neighborhood meeting to discuss building more fireproof houses?
Better yet, if another neighbor dials 911 to summon professional firefighting capabilities, would you stand on the sidewalk, watching the house burn, and point out that, after all, there's a water shortage, so maybe "we should just let the house burn?"
Imagine for a moment that professional firefighters are on the scene and have with them an expert able to tell them precisely where to direct their hoses to control the conflagration. Would you walk over and shout out your advice while covering the expert's mouth with your hand?
And if the expert's advice is about to be implemented despite your efforts, would you then pull out your Fireman Rick junior firefighter's hat, appropriate an ax from the fire truck, and proceed to hack away at the fire hoses, just to get your way?
The sad part of this discourse is that there ARE people out there like that. Their actions are highly visible, yet no one steps up to call it lunacy. These are the sociopathic personalities who would park their car in front of the hydrant and then, when their car is removed and cited, would sue the fire department for damages, claiming that their freedom to park had been violated. Meanwhile, they would exert every influence at their disposal TO GET THE TICKET FIXED!
Such will always be with us. But...where were you while the fire was burning?
If it’s painful for you to criticize your friends, you’re safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that’s the time to hold your tongue. – Alice Duer Miller, American author (1874-1942)
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Randy Smith, destinations@sbcglobal.net
Suppose your neighbor's house is on fire.
What you would do, what you would aspire to do, and what you would admire if others were to do it are measures of your character.
Is it fair to criticize one neighbor if she acts first to protect her own home from also catching fire?
If another neighbor rushes to attach a garden hose in an attempt to halt the fire's advance, would you urge caution, saying "maybe the fire will go out on its own?"
Would you abrandon the house to burn, but propose a neighborhood meeting to discuss building more fireproof houses?
Better yet, if another neighbor dials 911 to summon professional firefighting capabilities, would you stand on the sidewalk, watching the house burn, and point out that, after all, there's a water shortage, so maybe "we should just let the house burn?"
Imagine for a moment that professional firefighters are on the scene and have with them an expert able to tell them precisely where to direct their hoses to control the conflagration. Would you walk over and shout out your advice while covering the expert's mouth with your hand?
And if the expert's advice is about to be implemented despite your efforts, would you then pull out your Fireman Rick junior firefighter's hat, appropriate an ax from the fire truck, and proceed to hack away at the fire hoses, just to get your way?
The sad part of this discourse is that there ARE people out there like that. Their actions are highly visible, yet no one steps up to call it lunacy. These are the sociopathic personalities who would park their car in front of the hydrant and then, when their car is removed and cited, would sue the fire department for damages, claiming that their freedom to park had been violated. Meanwhile, they would exert every influence at their disposal TO GET THE TICKET FIXED!
Such will always be with us. But...where were you while the fire was burning?
If it’s painful for you to criticize your friends, you’re safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that’s the time to hold your tongue. – Alice Duer Miller, American author (1874-1942)
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Randy Smith, destinations@sbcglobal.net
posted by All4Word at 11:27 AM
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