Chance or Divinity

Looking out into an endless sea
Of ripples, waves, and tides,
My eyes fail to see
Much beyond the rising swell
That grows yet close
To my lonely vessel,
Swan-prowed
As the ships of elder days.
Caught in the strong west wind,
I am driven ever onward
Into that perpetual blue,
Where sky and sea meet
At horizon ambiguous.
Fog rolls over the deep,
Clouding my view
Of my silent companion,
The sun above.
In melancholy strain,
I sing a mariner's lay
And hold the course
As accurately as I may;
Yet, I know, indeed,
That my destination,
Over the restless foam,
Is yet unknown to me,
For where I first designed to go
May be many leagues now
From where my ship is going,
Led by an unknown navigator.
Though I know not his mind
Or his very identity,
I am at least content
That I do not travel alone.
It remains to be seen,
However,
Whether my companion be
Mere chance
Or Divinity.

Freedom

So I was thinking: what is the truest form of freedom?

It seems as though if we were truly "free," we would be able at any moment to decide what we will do, what we want to do, and be able to do it. Yet, it seems as though we are bound by a thousand limitations. Thoughts of consequences, morality, previous engagements, promises, duties, and expectations are just a few of the things that prevent us from simply relying on what we "want" in all circumstances. We are bound to these factors, even when we are free in a legal sense.

But imagine a world where these things did not exist, where nothing stopped us from the inclinations of our thoughts and hearts. Imagine the chaos that would result. Is it worth it to risk a stable society for free choice? Is that truly freedom?

No, I am afraid it is not. We must needs, by the nature of this system, be constantly subordinated to the whims of one another, for nothing stops any from doing what they choose. If someone chooses to do something opposite of what you do, then you or he/she must submit to the will of the other or be utterly crushed by one another into an endless, empty neutrality.

No, no true freedom can there be on earth, even if all limitations were removed. Yet, I wonder what the freedom of God means in light of these things. Is it a different kind of freedom? Or is the difference merely one of degree? The Bible says that we are no longer slaves of the flesh but of the spirit; yet, we are still slaves.

Given this analysis, it seems likely that freedom is not even something that we should ultimately seek. It is not the chief end of humanity to be "free"; rather, it is to "delight in God and bring him glory," implying a kind of service.

Yet, in this service there is something that true, stark freedom does not offer: hope for peace.

Frozen

Geoff Byrd--"Frozen"

How did I get here
What words were spoken
Can I just walk away
From being broken
Am I so blinded that I’ve become
The very thing I’ve always hated

Now I have fallen
Where have I landed
Frozen in history
Screaming in silence
Laughing in misery
Flowers in winter
Fast asleep in faded colors underneath the snow
But how far below

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday

Shadowy figures
Dancing in moonlight
Captured in photograph
Just after midnight
Is this illusion
Or is this the way that it’s supposed to be
Oh tell me

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday

Yesterday is all that I am
Will I be tomorrow
Or am I just a little too late
For sorrow

Merry-go-round me
Spinning in circles
Sounds like a carnival
Smells like a circus
I’m getting colder
I am freezing all the images
In other words
I am frozen

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday
Yesterday yesterday
Yesterday

Just an interesting song that struck a chord with me today in ways that I do not fully understand.

Quote from Thoreau

May we so love as never to have occasion to repent of our love!
Henry David Thoreau

I have Thoreau Quotes on my iGoogle page, so this one popped up today. It captured my imagination. No need to here expound upon it, because I believe that Thoreau would rather have you make your own opinion than to take mine passively :)

Snow

So an idea for you to ruminate upon . . .

What is it about snow that makes it beautiful to the human eye? I mean, it's slick, cold, wet, uncomfortable, and a hassle to clear away; so why are we so glad when it comes? Why do we find it a beautiful sight to look out upon a snow-covered neighborhood from our windows? If snow is such an inconvenience, why is it also loved so much?

Well, here's an idea that came to me as I was looking out the window this morning. Classes are canceled today, so I've been taking the morning a bit slow. Our window blinds are completely up, so I was able to look out upon the campus without impediment.

One of my first observations was that the roads and sidewalks were not actually there, or so it seemed. You couldn't see them or have any idea where they were before the plows came through. The landscape seemed flattened out with the snow and made more uniform.

So I thought, all the wonders that science and human ingenuity have brought us are all covered over. I think in the new fallen snow of winter, we can catch a glimpse of what nature was before humans began building cities, roads, sidewalks, sewers, etc. The snow is the last remnant of pure nature that we have, at least for a time, to transport us to a simpler time in our minds.

The snow also bids us slow down. For one thing, driving can be treacherous if we drive too fast on the snow. We must also tread carefully while walking to keep from slipping. Furthermore, snow has a tendency to (like today) cause our institutions and jobs to shut down, giving us back the time we daily pour into these tasks. With the time that snow makes us take in everything, we remember, perhaps, what our passions are. Left undirected, humans (from my observations) will do those things that they truly love to do. Those who love rest will sleep (and well they should, especially if they are constantly sleep-deprived, as college students often are). Those who like to read and write things (like myself) have the opportunity to do so without interruption. Those who love the outdoors will go and experience it in a new, fresh way when they step out into the cold. But perhaps most of all, those who need time to think may take it. Perhaps a snow day from time to time is exactly what people need.

It is my proposal that all these observations make the human eye welcome the sight of snow, for what it represents and does. We live simpler lives when a foot of snow covers the ground. Less bustle and hurry mean that we may truly live and refresh ourselves for when the snow melts and we return to our busy routines.

The Speech of the King at the End of the War

A------ stands today because of many heroes, among whom I am not worthy to stand. It was not I that stood upon the brink; it was not I that gave away everything: life, strength, breath. Against the gathering tides of darkness I could not stand, but there were those who did, those who stood when we faltered. These men would not sit idly by and watch everything they love burn; they would not allow the shadow of evil to turn everything into darkness. They would rather give up their claim to the blessings of this earth than to allow it to fade like the morning fog on a clear afternoon.

In their blood has the flame of our civilization reached a new height, not simply because we now stand victorious against the greatest evil but, more importantly, because they showed us what we can be. They showed us the pinnacle of what it means to be human, to love and to fight for what we hold dear. Their stories are what our children will hear: how they stood steadfast when none else would, how they refused to give up on hope, and how they triumphed in death against the gravest of enemies.

In some ways, it is them who are saved. What greater good can any man do than to give up his life for his fellow man? Through this act of sacrifice, there can be no doubt that it will fare better for them in that great unknown beyond the last breath. As a king, and as a man, I say that such is just; I do not deserve better than them, much worse rather. For now these men are my masters.

After all, what is a living king compared to a glorified soul? A man’s true worth is not in his title, nor in his estate, nor in his lineage, but rather in the deeds of his heart and the body that is sacrificed to protect his ideals. The men who gave their lives in this fight are, thus, men of the highest caliber. None of us can stand among them; we must, for reverence’s sake, bow our heads in respect.

Long may the dead live in our hearts and legends. They deserve more than this, but what more can we give? Let us live happily in the joyous land that they have died for, and in the blessed days ahead, let us show our love for our fellow man in greater measure than ever before, with this great example before us. May the peace of A------ last until the end of all things.

Uncertainty

A thousand symbols,
A thousand words,
A thousand meanings;
Surrounded by stimuli,
A perpetual web of Color,
Light and Sound,
We face an uncertain day
With an uncertain hope.
Dawn, with its sunlight
On the deepening snow,
Yet comes,
Its light all the brighter.
The chill of winter
Cannot sap its light;
The chill of uncertainty
Cannot sap our hope.