TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023 - CONTRADICTING YESTERDAY

 TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023 - CONTRADICTING YESTERDAY

Yesterday I wrote about lifelong learning - getting out of our comfort zone - trying new things.

But - not everybody feels that way.

Two weeks ago a friend (ET) decided it wasn’t worth it anymore.  She lives alone.  She unplugged her phone (she didn’t have a cell phone or a computer).  She stopped eating.  A mutual friend (NB) had a key to ET’s house and went to check on her - and found her near death on the floor.

NB called 911 and the paramedics came and took her to the hospital.  I’ve been told she doesn’t want visitors, but that her attitude has changed and she wants to live.

Yes, I’ve felt like that as well.  “Forget it, life is NOT worth living” 

*****

I’m looking at the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes chapter 1 today.

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

(Other versions say “All is vanity”)

Yup - everything is meaningless.  (And, Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, supposedly the wisest person to live).  

And, not just meaningless - COMPLETELY meaningless!!!

****

Well - let’s look more at what Solomon wrote in Chapter 1:

“What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?  “

Nothing - we all get older and we all die.  The rich die, the poor die.  The happy die, and the unhappy die.  Maybe if you are something special you'll get a few lines in a history book, or like George Washington - your name for a state and your face carved onto a mountain in South Dakota.  (Oh, and a tall monument in Washington DC.  What about the person who lives 100 years - and then dies - so what?  Maybe that person had some children.  The first two or three generations might remember Dad (or Mom), or Grandpa (or Grandma).  Fifty years later?  Nobody knows who that was.  

Yup - that is going to be me.  I’ll have to really save my money and contribute it to Dakota State University.  If I give enough, maybe I can have a janitor’s closet named after me!!!  I do have an endowed scholarship - but in 50 years, it will just be a name on a form.  And, with inflation, the money I have contributed might not even be enough to help a student buy textbooks.

More from Solomon in Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

“Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 

“Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

***

Everything is wearisome beyond description.  

Who cares if Karen White lived or died.  “Big <profanity> Deal (sarcasm)”.  Wearisome.  Everything is meaningless.

*****

Yesterday I wrote, “Over the years I have read and tried different things.  Sometimes willingly, and sometimes not quite as willingly.”

I wrote of being a life-long learner, of “pushing out of your comfort zone”.

*****

There seems to be a conflict here - between Solomon and Karen - are things worthless?  Am I worthless?

Paul in Timothy 4:7-9 writes:

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that dayI”

I agree with Paul here - run the good race, fight the good fight, keep the faith.  Don’t give up.

*****

I know some seniors (maybe like my friend ET above) who have agreed with Solomon - everything is worthless, and everything is wearisome.  

I hope I never get to that stage.  Learn something every day.  Get up and say “Hallelujah - it is a NEW DAY - a unique day - a day that I am alive.”.  I’m not going to wreck that new day by sitting for 16 hours in front of a television set (with a remote in my hand).  

Friends - every day we have choices - and the big choice is to keep fighting, to keep running, to keep living; or to give it up and just call life ‘worthless and wearisome’.

Put Love in your hearts because LOVE WINS

Put Love in your hearts because LOVE CAN TRANSFORM YOU AND TRANSFORM ME

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN.

Karen Anne White, ©, May 22, 2023