suffering
I got an update from a friend today, doing something exotic, as so many folk do, and his signature quotes were striking:
"It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."
-Garrison Keillor
"Live to the point of tears."
-Albert Camus
They hit me because I just preached on Sunday, and I had to look at a commentator (we're doing this sermon series with Ched Myers' book, "Binding the strong man," which looks at the Gospel of Mark) who was really focussing on martyrdom. Which, I mean, makes sense in terms of Mark's Jesus. But as sermons are all about seeing how scripture is relevant to our lives, it really forced me to stop and think about martyrdom and voluntary suffering and all that jazz.
No conclusions, as usual. Expect that I'm realizing my thoughts on such things have done some dramatic shifting in the last year or two. Although I'd agree with Garrison Keillor above, I'm not so sure about Camus (and it isn't just because I'm never too sure about Camus.) Yes deep emotion is an amazing thing (tears for me connote depth of feeling), and it makes life memorable. That said, when you are at the point of tears, often you are also incapacitated. Is there something to be said for building the walls around your mind and heart so that you can keep functioning (and ideally working towards change)?
I think these are actually related issues, not all the same thing I'm talking about. Hm...
In other news, guess what, I'm on holidays! Yay! As of...seven minutes ago!
cheers folks!
"It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."
-Garrison Keillor
"Live to the point of tears."
-Albert Camus
They hit me because I just preached on Sunday, and I had to look at a commentator (we're doing this sermon series with Ched Myers' book, "Binding the strong man," which looks at the Gospel of Mark) who was really focussing on martyrdom. Which, I mean, makes sense in terms of Mark's Jesus. But as sermons are all about seeing how scripture is relevant to our lives, it really forced me to stop and think about martyrdom and voluntary suffering and all that jazz.
No conclusions, as usual. Expect that I'm realizing my thoughts on such things have done some dramatic shifting in the last year or two. Although I'd agree with Garrison Keillor above, I'm not so sure about Camus (and it isn't just because I'm never too sure about Camus.) Yes deep emotion is an amazing thing (tears for me connote depth of feeling), and it makes life memorable. That said, when you are at the point of tears, often you are also incapacitated. Is there something to be said for building the walls around your mind and heart so that you can keep functioning (and ideally working towards change)?
I think these are actually related issues, not all the same thing I'm talking about. Hm...
In other news, guess what, I'm on holidays! Yay! As of...seven minutes ago!
cheers folks!
posted by dm at 6:27 PM
5 Comments:
I've often found myself wondering the same thing. Some people seem to feel the 'weight' of responsibility/life more and some even thrive under it whereas others just seem to ignore it. The question of which is the better way to live is unanswerable I think. (Btw, I've been reading Kundera hence all the talk of 'weight' and 'lightness'). As long as there exist those who can carry weight, they must inevitably be hurt by those who do not and by their own sense of duty/guilt. But doesn't value in life comes from that weight?
My thoughts are all fuzzy on this matter. I should ponder more :D
I would say, "Live to the point of tears; then act to the point of change."
I just don't think it's an either or.
-A
Well said. Perhaps angsting about things prevents acting on them? As with all things the best answer probably lies somewhere between the two extremes. Does living intensely (in the sense of experiencing and contemplating experience) preclude action?
hmm... that makes me think of your trip to Hebron Dora. Much of the value of that trip came from your reflections on what you'd seen/experienced right?
Anyways, enjoy Egypt! Shisha by the sea = good times.
I find it interesting that Camus would say something like "Live to the point of tears." That being said, just because he's written existentialist works with rather emotionally detached protagonists, doesn't mean he subscribes to that persona himself.
I interpret that phrase as living life so passionately and actively that it evokes emotions, as opposed to passively or worse, indifferently. So, that's good.
Egypt? Dora's going to Egypt? What's this all about?
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