Monday, January 29, 2007

THERE IS LEARNING IN EVERYTHING

I've been reminded recently of all the many, many things I have still to learn.
Like how to draw a scalene triangle.
The difference between a percentage and a percentile.
Where Muscat, Oman is located. (Nothing like children's homework to make an adult feel stupid!)
But I think I'm drawing closer to learning one lesson, the one I call: IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME!
I gave a friend of mine THE SPARROW to read recently and we've had a lively e-mail discussion about the book and especially the main character, Emilio Sandoz. Emilio goes through some horrible events. Emilio's pretty mad about those events. Emilio (a Jesuit priest) has lost his faith in God due to these events.
My friend did not care greatly for Emilio. She thought he took too much to himself, arrogant in assuming that all the bad things that happened were solely from a single decision he made. Emilio, in short, was in dire need of learning IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME!
For good and bad, things happen in this world. Children are born, children die, wars are fought, peace is made, jobs are gained and lost, manuscripts don't sell, manuscripts are published and then books don't sell, some people love you and some people dislike you and often it has little to do with you at all.

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