I confess. I am frequently dismayed when reality does not meet my expectations, when once again my notions prove false. I feel mortified, humiliated, stupid.
Some people claim to be delighted whenever reality makes them change their minds. They cannot make mistakes fast enough. They welcome the experience as a revelation, however painful it might be to adjust their thinking, the truth making them free.
I am not usually one of those people. When I attempt something and fail, I seldom give thanks to God.
Perhaps I can learn, learn to laugh when I fail, even be delighted. Perhaps I can give joyful thanks instead being disagreeably dismayed. Or be thankful in spite of being dismayed. That would be something like humility.
Make me humble, Lord. If possible, let’s skip the humiliation.
PHOTO PRAYER 2025-01
Photo of concrete rubble, an old sidewalk giving way to the new. Photo copyright 2024; text, 2025 by Danny Nelson Schweers.
COMMENTS
Sandy J. wrote:
Lovely! And resonating.
Craig S. wrote:
Danny, nice photo and meditation… It’s quite a topic…. I think most people yearn for stability, peace, predictability. When life turns out otherwise, it’s usually not a happy lesson. Disillusionment seldom brings a smile. We watched a film last night that I think is a beautiful portrayal of your topic. Deep disillusionment and betrayal of expectations. It’s Phillip Roth’s American Pastoral. I had read the book back in the ’90s, and had no detailed recollection of the story. This film, like very few others based on a novel, etched out the veins of the story and compressed the heart of the book in a way I found more compelling than the novel. The acting is absolutely superb. And I realized how a film can be, maybe not better than the novel, but more affecting. Ewan McGregor somehow captured the essence of that character and by watching him you seemed to feel his essence too. And it isn’t an easy role. Talk about a disillusioned man, a man whose notions prove false — mortified, humiliated, stupid… Very powerful movie…. It would be interesting if you sent this photo out to your readers with no text, and ask them to respond with what they saw. A pile of useless rubble, a ruin of dreams … or a basket of hope, the materials of new dreams….?
Susan C. wrote:
I catch myself sometimes talking to myself: “GG, stop being such a dum-dum!”. And, GG laughs, at himself, with himself.
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