The Measure of a Man

Joan Vennochi, in The Boston Globe (August 27, 2009), writes:

"In the end, he [Ted Kennedy] shouldn't be judged by his greatest achievements, nor for his greatest blemish. He should be judged as a man who returned to the arena, no matter what. In victory, he did not stop fighting. In tragedy, he did not give up. He did not succumb to weakness, including his own."

"This is not the measure of a myth. It is the measure of a man."

A Courage to be Commended

Just found an old "Letters to the Editor" clipping from The Boston Globe (December 19, 2004). It comments on a story of a heroin overdose suffered by a first time user and how his friend, who also received heroin, realizes his buddy's life is at risk. He makes a quick decision to bring him to the hospital, an action that saves his buddy's life. The letter praises his "immediate involvement" and his "respect for another's life."

(by Susan Sheehan, see her website at http://www.dontletyourfriendsdie.org/)

The letter reminds that, though someone may initially behave wrongly (taking drugs), he (or she) may possess the inner fortitude to help another even when this action risks self-implication. Courage demonstrated at such times is done with little fanfare: it's not often praised, but it is true courage nevertheless, and should be commended.

The Value of Art

Does art need to be "great" to have value? Is it worth our attention if it's just a "minor" work, the work of a minor writer, or a pedestrian piece?

I've enjoyed scores of articles and books, television shows and movies, musicals and plays, photos and portraits, most considered less than great. But I found meaning in the messages and stories of many of these, so I'm thankful their creators pursued their visions, despite failing to reach some arbitrary pinnacle of artistic success.

EB White, in his essay "A Slight Sound at Evening," made the following comment aimed at critics of Walden, Thoreau's masterpiece: "To reject the book because of the immaturity of the author and the bugs in the logic is to throw away a bottle of good wine because it contains bits of the cork."

The works I'm thinking of contained more than a few bits of cork. And most dissolved into obscurity. But if works such as these communicate something of significance to their audience - a distraction from life's difficulties, a humorous way of looking at things, an important moral or ethical view, an experience that lifted a spirit or that someone found to be of comfort - the achievement can be enduring, and valuable. Art doesn't need to be great to be worthwhile.

Self Motivation

I’ve just finished an 8-week Non-Fiction writing course. The assignments and deadlines pushed me to write every week, even though I found so little time to do so. I spent my precious few weekend hours writing seven pieces. I’m proud of all of them, though most need additional work.

Now that the course is finished, I’ll go it on my own, without the external demands of the deadlines. But, as I sit here this Saturday, tired from a hectic workweek, I feel like relaxing a bit and want to put off any writing till “later.”

But I’ve had years of “later.” I know what it means: that I won’t write. So I know that it can't wait, that waiting can be such a cop-out.

Courses are great, certainly. They give us different perspectives and critiques, and tips for improvement. And they push us with the assignment deadlines.

Nevertheless, I reject the notion that a course is a necessity. If we love something, we get it done. We motivate ourselves.