Sunday, September 4, 2011

this modern life


“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.” 
— Jenkin Lloyd Jones



This quote gets to me. The history of the world is an amazing thing - we went from living in caves, nothing, to this world of cars, cellphones, indoor plumbing, medicine, grocery stores and machines that can weave pantyhose.  It’s amazing!  I benefit every day from people who thought up and achieved amazing things.  And then there’s me.  I won’t ever do anything to benefit millions of people.  I feel like a taker - a user of what the world has to offer.  And the world needs people like me - it wouldn’t function without it!  (Yes Sanny, right now I’m thinking of that go-getter quote too).


But every now and then it gets to me.  A guilt, maybe?  The feeling that I’ve been given so much by this cool modern life and I’ll never give that much back to it.  And I know it’s best to not fret over that fact - just do the best I can with what I’ve got and enjoy it that.  But… the guilt… who is with me on this one?

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