Cold cannot be created.
Cold only describes the absence of heat.
Without heat, cold prevails.
Absolute zero is the total absence of heat. On the other hand, extreme heat will burn and
destroy. Only the right amount of heat
can melt through the cold and warm you.
Hunger cannot be created.
Hunger only describes the absence of nutrition. Without nutrition, hunger prevails. A total lack of nutrition creates
starvation. On the other hand, extreme
nutrition creates obesity. Only the
right amount of nutrition can sustain you.
Apathy cannot be created.
Apathy only describes the absence of care. Without care, apathy prevails. On the other hand, extreme care causes
jealousy, possessiveness, and smothering.
In the 1990 film “Misery”, Kathy Bates’ character cared about the
novelist so intensely; she was willing to injure him to keep him in her care. Only the right amount of care can comfort
you.
Anarchy cannot be created.
Anarchy describes the absence of governance. Without governance, anarchy prevails. With anarchy, justice is destroyed, except
for the strongest and most equipped. All
others become their victims. On the other hand,
extreme governance creates tyranny and loss of freedom. In this way, freedom and justice are opposing
values. Only the right amount of
governance can provide both freedom and justice. 
Peace is misunderstood.
Peace cannot be created. Peace
only describes the absence of chaos.
Without chaos, peace prevails. On
the other hand, the desolation of outer space is extremely peaceful and we
cannot survive there. Solitary
confinement is terribly peaceful and it is a hellish form of isolation. Relative peace is good, but only when
escaping chaos, and having the freedom to return to chaos. Only the right amount of
peace can calm you. The right amount of
chaos can excite and stimulate you.
Truth is misunderstood.
Truth cannot be created. Truth describes the absence of falsehood.
Without falsehood, truth prevails.
Truth is not subject to interpretation or modification, it simply exists. On the other hand, absolute truth is not kind. If someone you love is not
looking their best, it is not a good idea to tell them the whole truth. Unchecked truth is
damaging. In this way, some lies are supportive. We often need to hear a
well fashioned and well-intended lie from someone we love. We
trust a person who lies when we need it, and tells the truth when we can learn
from it. Jesus told many cryptic parables because he knew the bold truth was too harsh to handle. It takes a very mature person to handle the naked truth. We all wear clothing because we really don't want to know the naked truth about each other. Only the right amount of
truth can be productive.
The planet Earth is not too cold or too hot. If it were, all life
would perish. Our planet travels at the
perfect speed around the sun to keep it in equilibrium with the gravitational
pull between masses. All of life exists
in this perfect balance - the fine point of equilibrium between nothing and
everything, between scarcity and excess.
When we think of this fact in the universal sense, all of life exists at a tiny point at the center of vast extremes. Balance creates life. Extremism destroys. Balance takes effort, strength, knowledge, understanding, and temperament. Extremism is
relatively effortless because it thrives on ignorance, weakness, and anger.
Find that very
small place. Find your balance. Find goodness.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For
wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many
enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life;
and only a few find it. - Matthew 7:13”
Tony F. 2013
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