Rational Insanity
Aslan's lesson
Aslan is the Lion from the Chronicles of Narnia, and for anyone who has read all the chronicles (not just watched the movie; by the way, the movie is just one of the seven books in the entire collection) the wisdom of Aslan would be something quite noticing. In particular, I was drawn to what the wise Lion said to the Pevensies (the four children) when they asked about something that could have happened when they did or did not do something. Aslan's answer: I know everything, but I cannot tell you what could have happened, what will happen, or what happened to someone else who is not here right now - that is not for you to know.
For the past week I have been wondering about things - many things. What could have happened had I not done something? What could have happened had I done something? But then it dawned on me - I was dwelling on things that were not for me to know. The reason for this not being allowed to know these things is regret. Had we known what good could have happened had we not done or done something, we might most likely wallow in regret for the rest of our lives. On the other hand, if something bad could have come out of something we had not done or done, then our future decisions might be misguided in that we might decide on the basis of what we assume was a good decision, but was in fact, a simple step in time. The same decision made for a different situation may not work quite the same way it was used the previous time that same decision was made.
Assumption is the root of all this gobbledygook. Assumption can make us miserable; it can make us do things that we would not have done had we not assumed anything; it can force us to make all the wrong decisions; it can hurt other people by making them feel under or over estimated. Human as we are, assumption is a part of our lives, and assuming things is already a normal occurrence in our daily routine. Some people have even synonimized assumption with envisioning or foresight. This is such a big mistake. Envisioning is looking towards the future with an acceptance that the things that we see in the future are merely part of fantasy and the realm of dreams, and should we want the future to be what we see in our fantasies and dreams, we have to build foundations for those dreams in the present; but what we build should be a vital part of today, and simply, cornerstones of tomorrow, otherwise, we would not enjoy TODAY anymore, once we become too preoccupied with the future.
This is where foresight comes in, foresight is building foundations today in anticipation of what will come in the future. There is good and bad foresight. Good foresight combines preparation for the future with a gentle acceptance of each passing day, and the energy and desire to live each day to the fullest. Bad foresight is doing everything for one reason, and one reason only - the future. Now, as I have explained those two things, I do hope we now see their big difference with assumption. Assumption is making an adamant conclusion out of fleeting events that do not qualify as a basis for that conclusion. For instance, I would say that the person I am looking at is totally happy with his life because he seems to be smiling all the time; or perhaps I would say that something is good or bad for someone just because I feel such is so, when I don't even really know the limits and the thresholds of the person yet. All these things are assumptions and what happens when one assumes things? That person is bound to become calloused and un-inquisitive.
Assumption destroys faith and our childlike curiosity. For this, let me share a story by Fr. Neil Gilimeth that a friend, Marcel, also shared to me once.
Here is the story: Once there were four fair sisters who were very prayerful and faithful. There came a time when all the four sisters became seriously ill. They all prayed hard for the illness to be taken away from them, but nothing happened. After three months, the eldest died of the illness and the three others went on being sick. They still prayed hard and long for their disease to be taken away, but again, nothing happened. Three months after the death of the first sister, the second died also and the two remaining sisters became worse and worse. Then instead of praying for healing, they both asked the Lord that they both be taken away as well like the first two sisters, but the illness became worse every day. Then three months after the death of the second sister, the third passed away as well. The youngest was the only one left now and she was terribly lonely as the sickness became even more painful to bear. She prayed more and more and came to point when she asked questions. She asked the Lord why she wasn't given rest, was it because she was the worst of the four and she had to suffer more? Was it because she was not praying enough that she deserved more pain compared to her three sisters who were already relieved of their earthly duties?
Then one night, as she fell asleep, praying hard, she was awakened by a bright light. From the light came a great voice she recognized all too well to be the voice of the Lord. So, came her time to ask Him her inquiries.
'Lord,' she said, 'why don't you give me rest? Is it because I am more sinful?'
'No, dear child,' answered the voice.
'Is it because I pray lesser than my sisters Lord, that I have to suffer more pain?' she asked again.
'No, dear child,' replied the Lord.
'Then why am I still here in this miserable state, Lord? Why am I still in pain while my three sisters are already with you?' she finally asked.
'Dear, dear child,' said the Lord, 'I took them away first because I knew that they could not bare the pain, and had I taken them away a second later, they would have stopped praying to Me, but you, my dear, you are the strongest of them all, and I decided to let you suffer more than your sisters, because I knew that through the pain, through the suffering, you will never stop praying to Me...' answered the Lord.
And so, the story tells us, aside from being faithful of course, that if we assume certain things, we are bound to get the wrong answer, but if we ask, just ask and inquire, someone, somewhere, will surely come up and give us the right response. If we assume, we are most usually wrong.
Be rational; be insane... every once in a while! TTFN!
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