7 March 1957
A good person who is blind to the ways of human motivation lets himself in for unhappy disillusionment. For instance, if Eisenhower is a truly dedicated person with his heart truly in the right place, but blind to the politics around him – he is bound to be disillusioned and hurt whenever his most honest intentions are deliberately twisted away from his intent.
You have to be aware of the rogue within you – that is the potential beast within each one of us to understand the rogue in others.
It isn’t that people in glass houses should not throw stones; the fact is people who live in glass houses are often the very first ones to cast those same stones.
One must understand evil, the possibilities of evil, in order to recognize evil. With understanding comes the ability to cope better with an evil situation.
Why, it is so simple really.
Still the best intentioned person in the world is absolutely ineffective unless he has her she has a comprehension of the simple facts.
Talk about the temptation of St. Anthony! I started to think – I never actually read the temptation of St. Anthony – that I knew it only by title, but that isn’t true. I did read a long time ago, during my early growing years. I don’t remember what the contents of the book was, I only remember the title – but I did read this book.
What brought all this thinking about this morning? The extra postage stamps the clerk at the drugstore handed me and some strong sensual feelings I didn’t share with Kurt because I told myself he would not be interested. He was fast asleep, and I made myself believe he needed the sleep after staying up late to see Shaw’s “The Millionaires” at Eldred Hall last night – and that he had to work all day with little sleep.
The thought his father to the deed. Conscientious people drive themselves silly because they think the thought is the deed. The actual reality has often nothing to do with it in “fait accompli” or however you say it.
The saying goes “it takes a thief to catch a thief”. It also takes a kindly understanding heart to catch a kindly understanding heart.
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Men, running a so-called “man’s” world, are under the mistaken conception that the sacrifices men make are the only sacrifices of real value.
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If there were real value there would be no sacrifice!! What kid ever felt a feeling of sacrifice when spending a penny earned, for a treasured toy or desired possession, if the child followed a natural unpolluted bent?
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It is only when clean fresh streams are polluted with disease carrying particles that people hesitate to swim in them for fear of infections.
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The aristocrat of the breakfast table: Billy was doing a lot of yakking about us “peasants” this morning. Crumbs! Peasants! He recrimination in his ham – did I say “ham” acting. I labeled him “royalty” and he rejected the word anarchist – giving me a definition of the word. He had it down pat. No! – He was an “aristocrat” – very special!!
“Yah!” said I, “Just like Marie Antoinette and you know what happened to her. She said ‘They have no bread? Let them eat cake!’ and the guillotine came down on her head – CHOP!”
The only trouble with me as I do too much talking!!!! My whole – family complains to me – I talk too much!! Not for five minutes do I SHADDUPH!
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From Lowell Thomas Junior’s Lenten guidepost:
Peace be in my home
And in my heart
Or if thou roam
Earth’s highways wide,
The Lord be at thy side,
To bless and guide
Earth’s highways wide.
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In my peaceful home I want the help of the power that created me. I also found my husband a great comfort and my children a necessary ingredient for making life a living thing.
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How nice it was for Mark Schinner’s [sp?] daughter to have a backyard for hoot for her to bring her friends into. How nice of Mark Schinner not to mind about the lawn. Golly – too bad all youngsters don’t have nice backyards.
But there are always playgrounds. I had a big backyard – but no friends in it much. That’s why I liked the Memorial school playground so much better. There was more to do.
