My Quest

Comments response:
Thanks for the encouragement, Josh B.

I enjoy many kinds of meditation. Often, I find that when I see something that is naturally beautiful, it is rewarding to clear my mind and just allow myself to be absorbed in appreciation. It brightens up a dull day. I also find that if I "connect" to whatever I am doing that it helps cure boredom and that anxious feeling of rushing through things. Lately, I have found myself enjoying the "small wonder" of silence. Prison is a noisy place and silence takes on a sacred quality.

I recommend "appreciative meditation" to anyone who feels a lack of vibrancy in his or her life. Find a small wonder and allow yourself to be absorbed in appreciating it for five minutes. It works!

Today's Meditation:
My brother recently wrote me. We talk a lot about metaphilosophical issues. Lately, the idea of evil has been coming up. Does it exist? If so, what is evil? Can people be truly evil or do they just sometimes commit evil acts? Can a "good" person commit an "evil" act?

I have a hard time defining evil. The word brings up ideas of blackness: dark, malicious intention lacking in any positive quality. Evil suggests a quality that is worthy of hating, worthy of violent contempt. But I find it hard to believe that any human being is purely evil. Don't forget, I live in prison with some very unhealthy folks and I myself have been involved in some extreme activities. But I have yet to met an "evil" person.

Instead, I have met a lot of people who have made some very bad choices. People with such horrid backgrounds, full of anger, and lacking positive coping skills. People I often can see "good" in, despite their "evil" acts, I do believe we are all responsible for our actions and must face their consequences. But I'm not much buying into the concept of evil. I see people with all various setbacks, different levels of mental functioning, some horrible acts... But where does that leave us? What's that mean? Is there any act a person can do that would render such a person utterly worthless and wholly evil? What's the value of love and compassion if it is only for those who are easy to love? If loving someone isn't challenging, can it honestly be love?

That's all for today. Take care everyone.

A haiku:
[written backwards]
In the looking glass
a world to edoztz pab zdpbowz
Shh! Someone's coming.

Today's Quote:
"It's not having been in the dark house, but having left it that counts."
—Theodore Roosevelt