Quittintime: the miserable misunderstandings

Thoughts for this week.

( taken from Richard Evans book, "Thoughts for One Hundred Days" )

Sometimes in out thoughtless rushing about we become impersonal and preoccupied with things that matter less, and overlook the hearts and innermost needs of people who matter more.
In the sometimes rough abrasiveness of crowded days and things to do, we well would pause and think upon our lives and loved ones, upon the needs, the problems, the preciousness and importance to us of people personally, and do some searching ourselves.

For such a time, Phillip Brooks has left some lines that may turn hearts and lives to loved ones and bring friends and families closer and more of peace inside ourselves: " You who are letting miserable misunderstandings run on from year to year, meaning to clear them up some day", he said, "You who are keeping wretched quarrels alive because you cannot quite make up your mind that now is the day to sacrifice your pride and settle them: You who are passing men sullenly on the street, not speaking to them out of some silly spite: You who are letting someones heart ache for a word of appreciation or sympathy, which you mean to give someday; If you only could know and see and feel, all of a sudden, the time is short, how it would break the spell! How you would go instantly and do the thing which you might never have another chance to do."

If only we could see how swiftly life goes - how few are the hours - how much likely we would be to pamper pride, to fail to take first steps to right old wrongs, to fail to shorten distances between us and others; how less likely we would be to live aloof when hearts are crying to be understood, aching to remove misunderstanding. And how much more honest and at ease we would be with less pretense, less sparing for position, more willingness to make amends.

We come alone. We leave alone. we are not here long. If only we could somehow strip away the impersonal aloofness, the indifferent and sometimes cruel facade, clear up the wretched quarrels and misunderstandings, bring loved ones closer, and become our better selves.

"The world is narrow for two fools a quarrelling". Thomas Fuller