A Hopeful Letter

[minoanmiss]

Which med_cat gave me, and which I'm pasting into my journal.

From E.B. White to Mr. Nadeau:

North Brooklin, Maine

30 March 1973

Dear Mr. Nadeau:

As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.

Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society—things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man's curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.

Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.

Sincerely,
[Signed, 'E. B. White']

Comments

[bikergeek]

Indeed. There are good and decent people all around us, fighting the darkness.

"Be excellent to each other."

[cmcmck]

After each insult, each put down and each piece of hatespeak, I try to remind myself of the truth of this statement.

The alternative doesn't beat thinking about..........

[acelightning]

So, so true! I'm reminded of something Fred "Mister" Rogers said. He said that when he was a little kid, sometimes he got scared by news stories about disasters with lots of people getting hurt. His mother told him, "Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers."

And you, dear friend, are one of the helpers!

[amaebi]

Ah, I like that. :)

[sabotabby]

I love this and want to tattoo it on the inside of my eyelids.

[corylea]

"Today, two hundred million Americans got up, went to work, did their jobs with reasonable competence, and were reasonably kind to their fellow human beings" will never make the news. And it's not news because it's the default state of the country. People are mostly living their lives and being reasonably good to one another; it's the exceptions to this that get publicized.

[chochiyo_sama]

That is helpful. Sometimes, in this current political and social climate, I feel very hopeless and bleak. At those times, I am glad I am old and that I have no children. I do have many children and young people in my life that I care deeply for, though, so this current darkness crushes my soul.

When I read things like this, it does help--it reminds me that we have had dark times before and that things are cyclical. Hopefully, the turn is coming soon--the pendulum will swing back to the light and rational again--soon I hope. Very soon.

I do love E.B. White.

[med_cat]

Pleased you found it of use :)

And I think I'd shown you Fulghum's and Einstein's statements on related topics?

[annonynous.livejournal.com]

acelightning's Comment above reminded me of something thnidu's late wife dunkelpig once said, quoting her rabbi - When you hear a siren, do not think that there is trouble; think that help is on the way.

Ann O.

[amaebi]

And now I have shared this with facebook.

[minoanmiss]

Good. :D