Isn’t Leelu cute? I think so, and I’m pretty familiar with cute, having raised a daughter, as well as lived with cats, kittens, dogs, frogs, snakes, and other forms of domesticated and semi-domesticated livestock for my entire life. We had a dog when I was born; another dog taught me to walk. We had goats, parakeets, fish…. If it wasn’t overtly dangerous, I’ve been around them pretty much the whole road I’ve traveled, one way or another. However, none of that is either relevant to the current task at hand, nor, probably, of particular interest to most folks, and even most ffolkes. (I’ll explain that some day, for those who don’t know why I label people in such a manner…. Maybe. Then, again, maybe not. Probably, I’ll forget.)

Okay, where was I? Oh, animals. Or, more prudently, not. Perhaps, at this point, it would be best to go on to another intro-appropriate attempt; the above seems to be a bit, shall we say, off-topic, if not completely non-sequitor? Whatever the hell it is/was, we’re not there anymore, we’re here, fortunately, so, we can, should we choose to accept the mission, hare off in some other idiotic direction. Alternately, we could calmly, and with some dignity, hare off in some other ridiculous direction. Or, I could just stop, and we’ll get on with the rest of today’s mess…. Yes, I think that’s the best idea.

Now, if only we can figure out…. Wait. I know. We’ll do it this way…. Watch close, it’s tricky…. No, no, not for me, for you…. Watch….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Cowardice … is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend the functioning of the imagination.” — Ernest Hemingway

From 2/25/2014:

Terrible things could happen now…. they could, you know. And, we’ll deserve every second we experience of mind-numbing, soul-chilling, petrifying terror, because, hey, we’re the ones who left the door wide open, inviting it to enter our domain, bringing with it our ultimate doom…. Yes, it’s our own damn fault, and we will know the truth of the matter, because we have been warned, having previously been given wisdom such as this….

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” — Albert Einstein

This is not new wisdom, that we’ve never before seen or suspected; history has provided us with innumerable instances proving the truth of this aphorism….. Time after time throughout our short span of existence on this world, we find examples of men or women who had prior knowledge of an issue, and, by their silence, allowed it to take place, to the detriment of all…. It doesn’t make it right, but, it is certainly not an uncommon issue for mankind…. Such issues are not, perhaps, of those we are given by Reality, our favorite gifts, …. In fact, many don’t look on this, or any knowledge, as gifts, and THAT is a big part of the entire problem….

Our problem is a failure of spirit, that has to do with a basic virtue, one that has been claimed as the basis for all other virtues; without this characteristic, none of our finer qualities are ever seen in the light of day…. That pillar upon which all other virtue rests, then, is Courage…. Yes, plain and simple, courage….

I have found, in my fairly long life, that most of mankind, I’m afraid, are cowards…. I’m not an exception, though it IS something I’ve tried hard to mitigate…. Fear is a hard thing for most of us to admit, even though it isn’t considered abnormal; it’s strength, and the way it causes us to lose control frightens us… However, that is also its saving grace, as the guilt one feels, for having given in to it, can, and does, stimulate us to greater effort, whereupon we can find that courage within ourselves, the next time we are in danger of giving in…. This is how almost everything we do, and have done, of an ethical nature, ever gets done…. because someone discovers they DO have the courage to act when there is danger to themselves, or to those for whom they care…..

That is what it takes, you see…. No virtuous act can ever take place, unless good people have the courage to act in the face of the Evil that exists, in spite of the fear they feel in the presence of that Evil. If they don’t summon, or find somewhere with themselves, the courage to act ethically, or morally, if that is needed, then Evil has free rein to let itself out to play in human affairs, to the detriment of us all….

Each of us has to find that courage within ourselves, the courage to put aside our fear, to carry on with what we know to be right, even though expediency and comfort are left behind in such cases…. Living with honor and integrity is never the easiest path we can take; it is always fraught with danger, because it doesn’t avoid evil, because it’s too hard, but, rather, confronts it, endeavoring to deal with it in a straightforward, upright fashion…. thus, preserving one’s own honor, when forced to have truck with what always leaves us feeling a bit dirty….

Now that we have wandered so far afield this morning, I’m not sure what will happen to this Pearl…. Minor ranting isn’t uncommon in the intro, but, I do try to limit it to no more than eight or ten paragraphs, so we don’t take forever to get into just the first section…. a resolution which, this morning, is NOT unfolding according to plan…. Allow me to sum up, and get on with it, if you will…

All of what I wrote above is true and complete, to the best of my knowledge, and constitutes a fairly accurate assessment of today’s situation here on planet Earth…. Evil is out there, and when we… that’s you, and me…. fail to stand up to it, look it in the eye, and tell it to “fuck off, you bloody sod!”, then it will continue to manifest its existence, causing untold pain and suffering for us all…. So, be brave, ffolkes, and don’t let Evil have its way without at least some token resistance, ‘kay?…. “Kay!…..

Shall we Pearl?…..

“Asked what he gained from philosophy, he answered, “To do without being commanded what others do from fear of the laws.”” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Aristotle, xi

“He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” — John Cotton Dana, libraria (motto of Kean College of New Jersey)

“In the end it will not matter to us whether we fought with flails or reeds. It will matter to us greatly on what side we fought.” — G. K. Chesterton

“The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray.” — Robert Green Ingersoll

“The effect of one upright individual is incalculable.” — Oscar Arias

“There are no dangerous thoughts; thinking itself is dangerous.” — Hannah Arendt

“What we know is not as important as who we are.” — Subtle Bee

Once again, we have reached the final section, without having, to my knowledge, caused any bloodshed, unless it be amongst the targets of my vitriol, for whom bloodshed is the intended result. Having thus spit out the last of my humanity, I shall fold my tent, and fade into the sunrise, or sunset, depending on where you reside on the planet. Are we confused yet? Good. My job here is done. See y’all tomorrow, ffolkes; of that you may be sure….