Sunday, October 13, 2002
Quick!
Imagine you're walking across a frozen lake. You've seen people walking on it for days now, and some of them must, being Americans, weigh at least 100 pounds more than you do. Thus, you confidently walk out onto the ice, carrying your backpack. Suddenly, both straps break and the backpack crashes through the ice, revealing it to be only about an inch thick. It's only then that you truly realize your situation.
Just a warning: I'm fasting today, so don't be alarmed if some extremely weird posts appear later today. I find that when I have something I really need to think about, fasting from food or sleep (the fasting from sleeping isn't usually voluntary, but I take advantage of it when it happens) helps clear my mind. It occurs to me that this relates to the Biblical injunction against gluttony. When you're not suffering any privations, you're not usually thankful for what you've got. This is why, in good times, religions have trouble recruiting. It's only when something's gone that you notice how precarious is your hold on what you do have that you really appreciate it. After a good night's rest tonight and a hearty breakfast tomorrow, we'll see if my mind has been able to sort things out.
Imagine you're walking across a frozen lake. You've seen people walking on it for days now, and some of them must, being Americans, weigh at least 100 pounds more than you do. Thus, you confidently walk out onto the ice, carrying your backpack. Suddenly, both straps break and the backpack crashes through the ice, revealing it to be only about an inch thick. It's only then that you truly realize your situation.
Just a warning: I'm fasting today, so don't be alarmed if some extremely weird posts appear later today. I find that when I have something I really need to think about, fasting from food or sleep (the fasting from sleeping isn't usually voluntary, but I take advantage of it when it happens) helps clear my mind. It occurs to me that this relates to the Biblical injunction against gluttony. When you're not suffering any privations, you're not usually thankful for what you've got. This is why, in good times, religions have trouble recruiting. It's only when something's gone that you notice how precarious is your hold on what you do have that you really appreciate it. After a good night's rest tonight and a hearty breakfast tomorrow, we'll see if my mind has been able to sort things out.
