That’s what Dorthey Parker said every time she answered the doorbell to her apartment. Miss Parker’s cutting wit, along with her dour, incisive view of reality keeps her ever-relevant with each new generation of readers.
Was she a pessimist? She would say she was only realistic.
Many, agree.
This world brings us both joys and sorrows. The sorrows often seem to outnumber the joys. “No, no, no”! says the optimist. Its only that you’re concentrating on the sorrows, and not celebrating the joys.
The pessimist is not persuaded. The realist would say that both optimist and pessimist are right; they err only in their exclusive commitment to their singular point-of-view.
Allen Watts in his book, The Way of Zen, said this: “Almost all matter… was once the bodies of other animals and plants. We obtain it by murder. We are other creatures rearranged for our own biological existence. We continue only through the mutual slaughter and ingestion of other creatures.
I exist solely through membership in this perfectly weird arrangement of beings that flourish by chewing each other up”.
Well, that’s a cheery thought.
Unfortunately, its undeniably true. If the mutual slaughter stopped, then so would all life on this earth.
“What to do? What to do”? Is there no better way?
Reality will not change, but there may be a better way to think about it.
Allen Watts assumed that the way of Zen was the True Way. As a guide to daily behavior, Zen thinking can be rudely summed up as: 1. Stuff happens; 2. There’s nothing you can do about it; 3. Get used to it; 4. Try not to contribute to the problem.
Well enough, as far as it goes, which is not too far. Christ brought us a redemptive alternative. It tells us: God is in charge. You are not. The ways of this world are beyond your understanding. Your charge in this world is to: 1. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior; 2. Behave as God would have you behave – all of which is clearly explained in the Holy Bible.
Your reward will be eternal life, with God, in the only world that really matters - the Heavenly world.
I think the most concise summery is found in the book of Micah: “Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your Lord”.
I try to follow that advice every day.
Sometimes I succeed.