On Being Unoriginal

I don't think much about my titles; they just sort of spill out. It was the same with "Ruminations". I accidentally entered it into the computer incorrectly getting to my blog page and came across another blog titled "Ruminations, thoughts from a weary mind". I'm not naive enough to think it's never been used before, but that was kind of a "hey-you're-very-average" moment.

We are each unique and there's a vague hope inside all of us that we might leave some kind of mark on the earth as we clump along, but this is a little reminder that we are indeed just a puff of wind in the larger scheme of things. It's unimportant that we gain notariety. It is essential that we live our days well, that we serve those we love with honest cheer, that we love those within our reach lavishly and with abandon. Those are the harder things to do in a way, because they include acts of self-denial, service gone unnoticed and embrace the risk of rejection and worse, the disgusting self-realization that we aren't entirely generous or noble, as we wish to be. Our true selves are revealed when nobody is looking -- isn't that a famous quote?

I love this observation from Frederick Faber: "Kind thoughts are rarer than either kind words or deeds. They imply a great deal of thinking about others. This in itself is rare. But they also imply a great deal of thinking about others without the thoughts being criticisms. This is rarer still."

The entry is a little sober today, but then my baby just turned 18 on Wednesday and I'm allowed a few moments of reflection, don't you think? As mom would say, "It's good for your character."