"Instead of comparing our lot with that
of those who are more fortunate than we are,
we should compare it with the lot of the great
majority of our fellow men. It then appears
that we are among the privileged."
-- Helen Keller
When I saw this quote, it made me think of President Obama's news conference the other day. It was not even 24 hours after one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded with a devastating tsunami in Japan and spreading around the pacific. He spent approximately 1 minute about that event, and then turned to try to soften the concerns of rising gasoline and propane prices in the US. I stopped listening after many minutes.
I suppose that was a good time to bring up the rising prices issue so we could all compare our losses with others around the world losing somewhat more. We are only something in comparison to something after all. It is all a judgement call.
I don't mention this as a political issue, but just one that was an interesting example. We do it all the time in various ways, and it is okay. I think that the only thing to try to keep in mind is that having more or less than someone else isn't really very important in the long run. What is important is how we feel about what ever we may have.
People can be rich today and lose it all and be flat broke tomorrow, or they could be destitute today and win the lottery tomorrow. Fortunes can change quickly. Health can change quickly. Natural disasters can change things very quickly. How we react and how we feel about all those various points of being is what makes or breaks us. We can choose joy at any point, under any circumstances, and we can choose any other feeling as well. Ultimately, who we are and have become dictates that choice. It is not anything external to us.
Empathy And Sympathy Are So Very Different.
Spread Some Joy Today--Rejoice in your experience of life. It will after all make it a life worthy of living.
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