Should We All Choose a Simple Life? Many of us in our hectic societies long to live a simple life, but not everyone is attracted to simplicity. Some people prefer wildness and passion, the frenetic dashing from here to there, the unexpected marvels of unknown lands. The young especially enjoy the thrill of adventure and the promise of power, though some of us never outgrow our grasping for the glittering things of the world. Others of us love chaos. Some people choose to have many children. Then they encourage their children’s friends to join them, preferring the noise of the horde over the anxiety of wondering where their children are.…
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Land Iguanas and the Illusion of Control
Land Iguanas and the Prickly-Pear Land iguanas on the Galapagos Islands eat centipedes and carrion, but they prefer prickly-pear fruit. Unlike their marine cousins, they can’t climb the cactus, so they stand beneath the sprawling limbs and gaze up at the pears, waiting for one to ripen and fall to the ground. This can take hours or days, yet through it all, the creature waits. [1] I first learned about this startling reptile from one of our URC members who shared his experience of seeing them sit unmoving for days at a time. From reading about the reptiles, I learned that the creatures take breaks to catch insects and copulate,…
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The Serenity to Accept What Is
The Serenity Prayer In the “Serenity Prayer,” theologian Reinhold Niebuhr asks for the serenity to accept what cannot be changed. [1] Many of us have a hard time with such acceptance. When we feel powerless, we often struggle to regain our footing, hoping to set things right, at least by our definition of “right.” In my work as a hospital chaplain, for instance, I often meet with people whose bodies are falling apart. All the interventions at the medical team’s disposal cannot stop the disintegration of their lives. Patients and family feel angry, sad, and afraid. Sometimes, they lash out at staff, blaming doctors for their illness or chastising nurses…