Oct. 07, 2002 - 19:53 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

I Have to ?

Boxes, compartments, slots and positions. Seems like someone is always trying to put me in one or another. Well, you don't put a letter in the mailbox until it is written, stamped and sealed. So by that way of thinking with a human being, he isn't ready to be put in a box (or whatever) 'til his life is over, complete, done. Otherwise who in the heck could put him in the right box ?

Seems like society, media and many groups are not only trying to put somebody someplace and brand him / her / group as being unacceptable to society as a whole, or just that one special privileged group.

No one will ever be able to profile my thoughts, I can't even do it. My mind goes where it wants to and lets me survey life at that minute. Therefore how could I be profiled as a person ?

According to many religions I am damned to burn in hell for all eternity. They may be right, but I will wager that if they could see all those who might go there they would find some relatives or friends amongst the crispys and to their surprise even themselves. Among other folk I am a (curse word) liberal. Some might call me a peacenik. Old fart. Borderline poverty case. Basket case. Weird. ORNERY. Anything you have ever seen printed about someone or another, I am or have been.

My friends and relatives graciously accept me as I am and for what I am. By golly, they know me better than some religious or political group or media talking heads. And come to think of it my folk are not striving to put anyone in a slot, box or anything else.

I wonder how I would have turned out if I had veered in the direction, first one way and then the other as society deemed was acceptable in thought and behavior ? P.C. to the max ? Trying to put everybody else in a corner ? Or maybe a total wimp trying to jump through all the hoops simultaneously.

Mistakes I have made and learned from. My thoughts have been adjusted by me as I have moved along life's path when things become more clear to me and can be adjusted at need. I admit that I might be wrong about any number of things but that doesn't warrant me being put in any box or hung on any peg.

Whatever happened to empathy ? Isn't that the operation where a person experiences as one's own the feelings of another ? Even sympathy - isn't that where there is a relationship between persons (or groups) where whatever affects one affects the other ? Seems like harmony would be a synonym there to me. Sometimes a sincere, "I know how you feel - because I went through that once," can help. Even today there is a word much used in a rather condescending manner - pity -- sympathetic sorrow: compassion.

Empathy, sympathy and pity have no meaning really unless a person is willing and tries to give help where and when it is needed.

To simplify it, "I am stepping into your shoes and find I have worn some like that once. I will give you a pair of mine if they fit or will help buy you another, more comfortable pair."

I guess what bothers me is all the idle words, euphemisms and names that really mean nothing at all but disguise reality, to either the listener or the speaker. Just mouthing blather. And Mea Culpa, I do the same now and then even though I try very hard not to do so.

So, in the end just before I topple into the box maybe my last words will be, "Do I Have To ? . . . . . . . . .

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