There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. Since the first two pass our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third. - President John F. Kennedy to David Powers
How much truer of a statement could there be?
I know from my own limited experience this evaluation of God and human folly to be true. When I was a babe, I thought God was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grand-father watching and disapproving of all that I did, said and thought. When I was a young man I thought God was there to provide me with the answers and solutions as well as to fit the mold that I had in mind for my life. When I became a man I realized all that I thought I knew was only what I had come to convince myself of, and not what actually is, and I then became less than the babe I started as. To understand God is to look into the smallest grain of sand and see the immeasurable beauty of creation.
Human folly, as it exists, is also incomprehensible. There is no shame in being human, but still it blinds us. Our own imperfections put up blinders around our eyes preventing us from seeing the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. Those blinders, however, can be seen by no one but our self. Why we limit ourselves is inexplicable, but its realization is shared among every human being.
Humor though, is the one other truth that persists that can be understood. Even the child who goes to bed hungry can still smile when shown the simplest act of kindness. Finding ways to bring a smile to those who have no other reason to breath other than in their core they know they must, is the greatest gift that can be given. No amount of money, fame or fortune could match the worth of a smile on a man who has lost everything and believes there to be nothing left to live for. We must seek laughter in everything we do, for life without happiness is no life worth living.
This is not to say that misery is to be avoided. We must understand misery to fully appreciate the gift of a smile or a laugh. Like laughter to misery, the true value of water is unknown to anyone but the man or woman who thirsts or who has ever thirsted.
Needless to say, I agree with President Kennedy.
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"To understand God is to look into the smallest grain of sand and see the immeasurable beauty of creation." Beautiful! This is all so true. President Kennedy was a wise man. In our mortality, I think sometimes we all take ourselves too seriously, and you're right on the money that humor and laughter are the only things that keep us grounded.
ReplyDeleteWell said. This was my favorite part: "When I became a man I realized all that I thought I knew was only what I had come to convince myself of, and not what actually is, and I then became less than the babe I started as."
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