A Rambling on Consideration of Dis-Appearance

“If love is blind, then maybe a blind person that loves has a greater understanding of it.”

-- Criss Jami, poet, philosopher

The building is yellow with white trim, fairly narrow, with six floors of apartments on top of a ground floor bakery.  Color, shape, size, and function; we look at a building, at architecture, and we make a judgment, from a distance, as to whether we like it or not.  Would we purchase it?  Oh, hell no.  We don't know the integrity of the foundation, or what's under the paint - plaster, cement, wood or brick?  Does the attic have leaks?  What about the plumbing?  What are the maintenance costs like?  For all we know, with an opened mind, the larger building might just be the better deal.  But we'll look at the building, from afar, and, well... do we really consider the possibilities?  Do we step up to the doorstep and find out more information so we can make an informed, intelligent opinion?  No, probably not.  Sometimes we get lucky, but they don't invest good money building casinos because people are lucky. 

"There's a mark born every minute, and one to trim 'em and one to knock 'em".

-- David W. Maurer, "The Big Con" (1940)

It would seem we are more slaves to our laziness, accepting our initial knee jerk reaction in favor of actually having any thought, or thoughtful compassion.  Isn't it true that we robotically march through our daily lives with our minds buried in music, video games, emails and texting, and, heaven forbid, our job?  Most of us seem to revel in our only true accomplishment, our ability to have a lack of thoughtfulness every waking moment. 

“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful.”

-- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), First Lady, politician, diplomat

When you were dating did you ever looked at a fat man or woman, from afar, and consider the possibilities, or did you dis-appear them?  Did you find so much wanting in their appearance that, with just a glance, you made the decision they weren't worthy of further consideration?   As a man I can honestly admit to looking right through the succulently sweet, pear shaped babe, to the sand filled hourglass, the ticking time bomb, next to her.  I say that because the nature of the hourglass is to, sooner or later "blow up" when all the sand eventually drains to the end, and that's when the issue of ever turning the hourglass back over comes into play.  Meanwhile, I had ample time, about a month, to start thinking with my other brain and discover all that sand was originating from the desert between her ears.  Men are not immune to any physical curses of age; we're just too confused by our young hormones to care about the future when we'll pay for bad decisions.

Men tend to have plenty of muscle when they're young.  The fat tends to collect where the sand is located on the woman, between our ears.  As we get older that cavity can no longer hold so much lard and it starts to ooze out, draining down through our arteries, through our heart, and into our midsection, sucking the muscle along with it.  This sucking fat even drags the muscle out of our ass, leaving us with no buttocks to speak of.  This is the point in our shallow lives when, if we could still see our winky, we probably forgot what it was for other than giving us a reason to get up several times a night or, for the unlucky few, to fill another Depends.

"People Who Live In Glass Houses, Shouldn't Throw Stones!"

-- Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400), poet and "Father of English Literature"

I violated the "throwing stones" rule again today when I called Fox News contributor Alan Colmes, a French socialist.  Hey, so shoot me.  Every time the man opens his mouth he reminds me of one of the hypocritical French revolutionaries, the Jacobins that were as bad, or worse, as the elite they ousted.  During their one year Reign of Terror they put 17,000 people under the blade of Madam Guillotine, and butchered 40,000 political prisoners without a trial.  But, I digress...

I was immediately called down for the violation, and rightly so.  I don't know Alan.  All I know of him is from his constant "follow my liberal socialist leader off the cliff no matter how asinine his beliefs" diatribe.  How dare I?  How dare any of us?  What makes us so much better, and who gave us the right?  If your opinion is to destroy my country and our Constitution, or to ultimately lead us down the road to butchering thousands of "political prisoners" who might not agree with your point of view, who am I to deny you your freedom of opinion?

How many people have looked at your glass house as a target for their stones?  What makes the human animal so damned shallow when it comes to others?  What makes the human animal too stupid to see their own faults are more transparent than the poor soul their pointing fingers toward?

So, I am not immune to violating rules.  I am also not immune to hypocrisy, as I have oft times admitted.  How about you?  Do you look at a homeless person and make the same long distance judgment?  What of bikers, prostitutes and geeks?  How about a Muslim?  Do we ever think to find time to consider the possibilities?  Why did they arrive at where they are?  Do we ever step up to their door, or kneel down on their patch of sidewalk, to find out more information so we can make an informed, intelligent opinion, or do we judge from afar?  How many times during the day do we make these judgment errors with people?

“Outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates.”

-- Kate Angell, author

Color, shape, size, and function; we look at people, at their architecture, and we make a judgment, from a distance, as to whether we like them or not.  Would we be willing to risk a long term relationship with them?  Oh, probably not.  We don't know the integrity of their foundation, their upbringing and mental stability, or what's under all the makeup, the plaster, cement, wood or brick which they use to hide themselves?  Hell, they could be plastic for all we know.  Is the attic shallow?  Does it leaks like a sieve?  What about the plumbing?  Is it still holding water as required and flushing normally?  What are the maintenance costs like?  Are they self-sufficient and a good investment, or are they a breath away from being torn down as they suck the life force from all around them in an attempt to survive?  

Have we done our due diligence and given consideration to the full figured individual with the pretty smile?  They might not be a Ferrari, but there is much to be said for the luxury of a Bentley.  For all we know, if we endeavor to keep an opened and overactive mind, the seven course meal might just be the better deal.  Our happiness might just be linked to how they present themselves, their honesty, and, just maybe, how anxious they are to do get busy.  After all, no building stands forever, and beauty is, truly, in the eye of the beholder.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” 

-- Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), artist, poet

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.