Guest Column
Good Sabbath!
The beginning of wisdom is to
desire it.
Good Sabbath!
The beginning of wisdom is to desire
it.
By Sanford Goodkin
I was in my dentist's office
waiting for the shot to anticipate the pain. I grabbed Oprah's latest
magazine, entranced at the art, the beauty of her photograph and the
sophistication of each story and advertisement. I so admire this woman of
valor, who has progressed through life, achieving what others can only think
of as fairy tale. She is female and black, so what could be expected of her?
We can exceed our expectations only when we expect little but work hard to
reach for distant stars. We become what we truly believe, rather than our
fear that we will not be much, for that is neither ambition nor
accomplishment, but usually the dead giveaway that it cannot be much.
"Ambition is the spur that makes man struggle with destiny. It is heaven's
own incentive to make purpose great and achievement greater." (Donald G.
Mitchell)
There is no more noble profession than being a teacher, for to guide a mind
to green pastures, vegetates the entire world. There is no limit to a
teacher's power to influence an entire generation, and what could achieve
more for the human race?
A lawyer can use guile to influence a jury, for innocence insures no
verdict that luck can't change. A judge must be able to think objectively,
so that luck cannot prevail. But politics is the biggest corruptor of all.
I was watching an Oprah show where she and her girlfriend were driving a
long distance. The humanness and humor of their conversation was a testimony
to unpretentiousness. Their laughter and appreciation for each other was
rewarding to my eyes and ears. We especially appreciated that wealth does
not have to spoil us into self importance. Oprah is a breath of fresh air in
a society that is so easily self-deluded, one that demeans what it cannot
take time to think out.
One tragedy of our lives is to kill time by wasting it. We kill only our
lives by giving away the preciousness of living it.
"The truth never dies, but it lives a wretched life."
So the week was filled with a broken tooth--better than a shattered dream.
We make of life what is presented to us as fact; but the making of life is
what we make out of pain and disappointed, not quick to blame others for our
feelings, but understanding that tomorrow can be better, much better.
___________________________________________________________
Sandford Goodkin can be reached at:
sgoodkin@san.rr.com
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