I've been catching up on some long-overdue reading with Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind" (Yes, that long overdue), and have just finished reading the bit where Rhett Butler has the temerity to claim that the Confederates are fighting a losing war, bolstered only by their land and manners and pride.
I don't know enough about the American Civil War or about Southern motivations to take sides. Pehaps all war is the result of political eloquence and mercenary intention, a rush of blood to the head and misguided patriotism; or perhaps rarely it's the only recourse in a situation with little room for manoeuvring, even when you're willing to sustain a loss of face. This debate is an old one and can be discussed at length, but perhaps another time. I know though that it takes some doing, listening to things like those he said and not being afraid to let the scales fall: once they've fallen, something has to be done.
To face a difficult truth includes a tacit understanding of the need to pull through with a difficult course of action. To accept the need for that course of action implies a realisation of the fact that the success of something does not necessarily depend on doing things as they have always been done. To do things at all does not necessarily mean they will make any difference.
There always seems to be too much time, money and energy frittered away on things that will not count two weeks from now in hope of approval that will probably never be unadulterated. I suspect that it will be the same no matter where I am. Does that reek of cynicism? I think it might. But I know for sure that trying to see things for what they are has led to the unburdening of a lot of deadweight.
There's always enough of that to try to unload, but for now I can be happy because I know what I want: to believe in and do what is right; to love and be loved wholeheartedly; to not care about what people who don't count think and to laugh at myself without being offended when other people join in.
A CHANGE OF ADDRESS.
10 years ago
4 comments:
Eloquent, Azara. No, not preachy. I don’t think it’s ever preachy if you’re stating your truth.
The state of war fascinates me. I’m holding back here b/c I don’t want to write a lengthy diary entry here (on your blog!) but...if you can get your hands on “A People’s History of the United States” (Howard Zinn) you would be sucked into Civil War history. An intriguing war for so many reasons— the dynamics of civil war in a newly formed nation, the undermining of the cruel institution of slavery, the birth of peculiar race relations in the US...an amazing and dynamic time in American history. Okay, I’m gonna stop, I know you’re yawning already, but if you ever have some spare time, something to read about.
Okay, your last paragraph— is it possible to heart you even more? Knowing what you want is so important, i need some big time lessons on that. Going out on a ledge but “rush of blood to the head?”— Coldplay fan AT ALL? Recently listened to JMs “Can’t trust myself..(no, I’m not the man I used to be lately, see you met me at an interesting time). I know, I allude to that song SO much, but it always hits me right where I need it:)
Okay, promise now to stop blogging on your blog;)
Thanks, Tunde.
Yes, Coldplay fan. But they put it so well, didn't they? : )
The social, political, economic and emotional dynamics of every war make for interesting reading, although somehow the feeling that what they were trying to achieve could usually have been accomplished some other way always remains.
Thanks for the ref, will try to get my hands on it. The few allusions I read make me want to know more!
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