I'm getting over an unhappy experience with the sales couple for a restoration company, but whose main thrust was replacing roofs. They insisted that I lie to my insurance company so they could get my deductible and whatever the insurance paid. Of course, I wouldn't, which made them huffy. In the meantime, I called their boss and apprised him of the situation.This emotional upheaval left me bereft of time and energy to generate blog material. I turned to earlier writings and found something that seemed appropriate.
Dr. Frank Crane wrote eight volumes of four-minute essays. I have volume eight, published in 1919, but no information of how I came to own it. Here is the essay that caught my eye. I think it still fits our country's situation.
"There is an old epitaph that runs: ‘Here lieth David Elginbrod. / Have mercy on him, gracious God, / As he would do if he were God, / And You were David Elginbrod.’
"Maeterlinck makes the old man in Pelleas and Melisande say, ‘If I were God, I would have pity on men.’
"Omar somewhere wishes that he might grasp the sorry scheme of things entire and remould it nearer to his heart’s desire.
"If you were God, what would you do? Not that you impeach the divine wisdom, criticize the Omnipotent; but what changes would you make in men and things?
"If I were God I would enter all men’s breasts and take out the will to war.
"I would eliminate hate from every heart, and give every one ‘good-will toward men.’
"I would make cruelty, fraud, and injustice loathsome to every creature, so that none would do deeds of that kind, nor think such thoughts, any more than he would cut his flesh or eat nauseous stuff.
"I would make men’s appetite crave only such food as is wholesome for them, and cause them to turn sick when they are about to eat or drink too much.
"I would make every man and woman loving and loyal, and have every Jack find his Jill and live happily ever after.
"I would allow only enough children to be born to maintain the population to a sufficient number, and have them all live free from disease their allotted span.
"I would make death a luxurious and desired experience, when death’s time comes.
"I would do away with the motives of money, fame, and pride, and make every man’s desire be to serve well his fellows.
"Every person should receive the same wage, ‘to every man his penny,’ and the only emulation should be for superior helpfulness.
"I would put in every human soul enough intelligence to control and balance its passion.
"I would make every woman beautiful, and as good as beautiful, and all men brave and honest and true.
"Every child should be happy and obedient.
"I would remove all lions, tigers, snakes, and fierce carnivorous beasts, and would cause human beings to abhor flesh food, so that none should any more kill.
"I would have born into every human creature’s nature a dominant passion for the good, the true, and the beautiful.
"I would have all humanity co-operate and organize for their mutual welfare, each for all and all for each, and take away the lust of contention.
"When I read this over, I said to myself: ‘Why so hot, little man? Perhaps, after all, that is what God is doing, only He is not in so much of a hurry as you. Be still. And wait. For a thousand years are in His sight but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.’
"To which I could make answer in no wise, except in the deep and ancient cry of the Hebrew poet: ‘How long, O Lord? How long!’"
Pat, again: Here endeth the lesson. Thanks to the Rev. Dr. Crane.
Japonica (PL)
3 comments:
My contribution would be to have man without ego and there by avoid his impulse to set himself above others and wish only for himself what he would with equal desire wish for all others. He would see himself as a member of he herd and know that his welfare is only as good as that of the herd.
No lions and tigers? Noooooo.
I would instill tolerance, empathy and kindness in every heart.
And an understanding that we are all in this together. No us and them, but only us...
And I am a dreamer.
I'm sorry about your unpleasant situation. Glad you reporter them. Enjoyed the essay.
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