WE SEE SO LITTLE
Ours is a large world.
It is big in many ways. It tends to minimize itself in the restrictive term we attempt to use to define and mark its dimensions. Other bodies in the Universe are large - much larger - but they are not so much alive and vibrant as Earth and yet we seem to remain unaware of the fact that it may well be it is the lives of those who people inhabit it, which gives it true length, breadth, width and depth and meaning.
Being large, then. We are tempted to enlarge our world even more, once we come to know its limitations. Even though we have not yet learned to deal properly with what we already have, we reach outward, upward, ever elseward, it seems - forever seeking other worlds to include in our system of living as we call it.
"Living" may or not, be the proper term to use, but that's what we tend to call those things we lump togther as a mish-mash of activities which strike us as being better than nothing at all.
And, all the while we actually are seldom aware of what we do or what it may mean to us or to our future or that of others we do not even know.
We are, even now, engaged in a series of manipulations we choose to call "an election." It is the contrived method whereby we are made to think we have elected - or chosen - that one person who is best suited to lead our nation for the next political division of Time called a "term."
Our task, like our world about us, is far larger and much more complex than we may ever have imagined it to be.
Just as we have had to take time to sit back and contemplate what it is we must do in order to gain the goals we have in mind. We must take time to consider the, political, spritual and social aspects of what it is we are attempting to do. Ever indication is that the relative success of our space program, thus far, has been due largely to the care we have taken in preparing the way. The space program has been fast in one sense of the word, but it has advanced only with carful, detailed and serious study consdering the consequences of any moment or setback or failure. It may be a wise thing for us to apply the same thinking to our military ventures.
It is not a simple program we seem to have taken upon our shoulders - this idea of assuring the rest of the world they can enjoy the same freedoms we think we enjoy. Just to think of modifying the nature of mankind to assure peace and plenty for all is a fearsome challenge. To bring about a permanent change along such lines is dauntless in its potentials for both good and bad are endless. The space program has been safer by being slow, sure and sensible. The world peace and satability program is even more demanding of each of us if such a status of perfection is to be thought of as essential to our state in the future.
Right now, during the remaining weeks and months of election, fervor is an especially danger period of time in which to make promises - to ourselves as well as to others - which we cannot keep. Easy does it. Lip locks can prevent many potential mishaps.
A.L.M. May 27, 2004 [c511wds]
