Sunday, November 14, 2010

T.S. Elliott "Choruses from The Rock"

Inspired to read this poem from a general conference talk by Elder Bednar.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot#Choruses_from_The_Rock_.281934.29

Some parts that strike a chord with me

"The endless cycle of idea and action,
Endless invention, endless experiment,
Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;
Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
Knowledge of words, and ignorance of The Word.
All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance,
All our ignorance brings us nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to God.
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

I recognize the value of study, knowledge, information, data. Without a plan of where you want it to take you it takes you everywhere and nowhere, as if driven by the wind. The depth is lost when we give it not the time. Facts, information, data, are nothing without thought. "Why is the information there" "what can be done with it" "How can I use it, rather than store it" and "How does it help me know God"

"The world turns and the world changes,
But one thing does not change.
In all of my years, one thing does not change,
However you disguise it, this thing does not change:
The perpetual struggle of Good and Evil."

Well that basically summarizes the test of this earth. The more my eyes are opened, the more I realize that EVERYTHING is about the battle of Good vs. Evil. Wars, duh. Poverty, duh. Politics - A little more hidden. Entertainment - hidden again. Food - there again. Sports, recreation, quiet, peace, anarchy, activity, slumber. - all can be summarized as Good or Evil. Even the best of things can be bad without the proper moderation.

Recently, I've become more aware about the need to plan your life through the jillions of traps of Evil. If you do not plan, you cannot overcome, planning is Good, not planning is the alternative.

Wake up! There is much good that needs done, not just thought about!

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