Dear Elle,
I hate the way everything has to be someone's fault, when some things just happen.
Some things just happen.
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You asked me recently about my own morals, Elle -- I generally don't discuss them without some sort of an example attached, which I can always provide -- but here's a little nonreligious, though slightly theological once I get into it, proposition I've always loved arguing:
Kant suggests that good will, if stripped bare with all effects and accomplishments being taken away so that only the good will itself was left -- he suggests that it will "shine forth in its own right as a jewel, as something which has its full value in itself."
My own abstract on this is that Kant is right. The act of charity unto others -- or whatever good will correlates in one's eyes, is good not because of the proposed end, but simply the idea itself, the concept. This is not from his essay "A critique of Pure Reason," something I still can't finish and something that many believe has done more harm to the Christian mind than anything else, ironically enough.
One most remember though, that this does not make the person committing the act of good will a moral person (everything of what I'm saying is assuming an establishment of absolute morality; humor me if you disagree). Therein lies the problem of many of my fellow Christians, occasionally myself, and many others. They think they're doing good by some act of charity because of the result (this is not to say that happiness does not have a value). They will proceed to feel good about said act of charity (this is another problem entirely, doing acts of good will for the wrong reason).
Doing an act of good will is not good for the end (the end could be disastrous or ideal, it doesn't matter), but for good will itself. The establishment that there is, in fact, an absolute goodness in the world. "Good Will," which leads to good acts, cannot exist without recognition of goodness, and is nothing without evil ideas and acts, which cannot exist without its polar opposite.
We can talk about more aspects of morality another day. I could go on for days here, but I should sleep to get some rest for work tomorrow (for anyone else reading this who's curious, I'm training to be a server at Famous Dave's BBQ at the moment for the summer).
This all leads back to the original quote at the beginning of this entry, though indirectly. I wish some people in my life could simply understand the end result of something does not correlate to what the intentions were. Nor does it mean someone has to take the fall for something they couldn't see ahead of time.
PS you should get something in the mail Thursday or Friday.
PPS Stanley Kunitz, one of my favorite poets died at the age of 100 a couple days ago. He was the US' Poet Laureate from 2000-2001. Here's one of my favorite pieces of his:
___________
Promise Me
___________
Only, when I am sudden loss
Of consequence for mind and stair,
Picking my dogged way from us
To whom, recessive in some where
Of recollection, with the cross
Fallen, the breast in disrepair:
Only, when loosening clothes, you lean
Out of your window sleepily,
And with luxurious, lidded mien
Sniff at the bitter dark--dear she,
Think somewhat gently of, between
Love ended and beginning, me.
ye hmbl & obt svt, looking forward to seeing you,
kev
Dear Elle,
I've been listening for the last 30 minutes trying to find a song that sums up leaving. Whether it be a place or a person, I figured I'd be able to find one. I've also discovered that any songs with lyrics just don't quite match the feelings I have right now, which leaves me with a bunch of instrumental songs from various artists, and this, mind you, is very difficult to convey over a letter.
My three favorites belong to Sufjan, Wooden Wand, and John Fahey. I'll send you all three tracks when I get a chance.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
PS I'll provide all 4-5 of my other readers with an actual update soon. Promise.
