Idealism|
"Idealist: One who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that cabbage makes a better soup."|Henry L. Mencken
Today I would like to talk about idealism and my misfortunate relationship with it. I have come a stark realization that to live with a high level of idealism is to be naive and devoid of a real and raw perspective. With that being said, I will also confess that I will always maintain some bit of healthy hopefulness in my perceptions of the world.
But back to idealism. I confided in someone whom I have immense respect for the other day. I told him of my frustration with myself, my realities and my weaknesses. He pegged it perfectly albeit quoting old poets. He said they call it "Innocence lost." I though it was a perfect and poignant description of my feelings.
I think my "mourning" of my lost innocence is that the world is a raw, heart-wrenching place to live in. There is tragedy all around us, broken lives, unspoken hurt, disrespect and ignorance.
According to the World Hunger Project, 1.7 billion people lack access to clean water. 925 million people do not have enough to eat — more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union combined. 60% of those women.
And the list goes on...
What I'm saying is that it's easy to be idealist when you are ignorant or knowingly denying these facts.
What I am purposing to do, from this day forward, is to live honestly. Speaking and acknowledging realities when I see them. Seeing beauty in ashes-realizing that sometimes that means planting a rose garden. We cannot rescue the world of it's sorrows-believe if I could I would. But what we can do is make someone's load a bit lighter, by an acknowledging of their pain and struggle. Generosity is entirely made up how you give, not what you give.
My challenge to you today is to live honestly and generously.
Today I would like to talk about idealism and my misfortunate relationship with it. I have come a stark realization that to live with a high level of idealism is to be naive and devoid of a real and raw perspective. With that being said, I will also confess that I will always maintain some bit of healthy hopefulness in my perceptions of the world.
But back to idealism. I confided in someone whom I have immense respect for the other day. I told him of my frustration with myself, my realities and my weaknesses. He pegged it perfectly albeit quoting old poets. He said they call it "Innocence lost." I though it was a perfect and poignant description of my feelings.
I think my "mourning" of my lost innocence is that the world is a raw, heart-wrenching place to live in. There is tragedy all around us, broken lives, unspoken hurt, disrespect and ignorance.
According to the World Hunger Project, 1.7 billion people lack access to clean water. 925 million people do not have enough to eat — more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union combined. 60% of those women.
And the list goes on...
What I'm saying is that it's easy to be idealist when you are ignorant or knowingly denying these facts.
What I am purposing to do, from this day forward, is to live honestly. Speaking and acknowledging realities when I see them. Seeing beauty in ashes-realizing that sometimes that means planting a rose garden. We cannot rescue the world of it's sorrows-believe if I could I would. But what we can do is make someone's load a bit lighter, by an acknowledging of their pain and struggle. Generosity is entirely made up how you give, not what you give.
My challenge to you today is to live honestly and generously.
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Yes! Good points...yet I think (and correct me if I'm wrong) that God is BOTH an idealist and realist all at the same time. Which means that we can both as well.
ReplyDeleteIn Revelation 21:4 God speaks of the future: "he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
To me, this verse proves two things: that God admits the reality of a broken world, AND he also admits that this is not the ideal situation. He's telling us that His ideal is that there be no pain."Yes, there is pain...BUT, that's not the way it's supposed to be, and I'm going to change it as soon as possible."
I don't know if this makes sense. But thanks for your thoughtful post. Hope you're doing well.