A Cry for Modesty

I'm in the process of researching for a class which demands I give an eight to ten minute persuasive speech; because I like to take advantage of these opportunities to express what I believe in to others, I chose a topic which I know will cause a bit of consternation, however I feel it is one worth sacrificing my neck for. Although I have a reputation for saying things I shouldn't, I think this time I'm justified because by speaking up I'm 1.) potentially helping influence the future of a person's life and 2.) showing my audience that I and care for their spiritual and physical well-being. But what is my topic? Well, now that I've stoked your interest I will tell you. The topic I've chosen to discuss is the restoration of female modesty. Yes, I'm battling a beast greater than Goliath. Please God I survive.
Incredibly, within the last forty eight hours I've printed about 75 pages of material which I intend to use for this speech. I have been happily dumb-founded by the amount of material available for those who want to defend this sorely touchy subject. It's amazing how many women are fighting for this return of modesty in our society. And this is true not only among Christians. There is a beautiful twenty eight year old Jewish woman named Wendy Shalit who wrote a book called "Return to Modesty" who has become a cultural paradigm for girls who are looking for role models who possess this lost virtue. She's hysterical and her book is highly worth reading. It is full of contemporary vignettes which most girls today can associate with. She relates that from Vogue to Teen magazines, girls fight to gain the attention of boys by selling their bodies though losing their self-respect. Shalit argues that because we have lost modesty, woman are falling into one of the many cultural ills like anorexia and depression. She also explains that the increased numbers of date rape and sexual assault are not surprising when one stops to look at what women are wearing. Women think that men should keep their hands off of their bodies when they parade themselves about like pieces of meat to be devoured. What do they expect men (who are predominantly visually oriented) to do when they see her walk by with cleavage bursting from here to kingdom come? The reasoning is absurd. However, women still wonder why they are not respected. Need I explain this?
In another article by Regina Schmiedicke, she states that historically, women of nobility and class wore robes and covered their bodies from the public eye. It was the slaves who were "forced to go naked". Notice, they were forced. The concumbines were the ones who dressed in short skirts in order to advertise that they were "sexually available." Sound familiar? Is this not what woman say by their conduct and dress? If women want respect, they must dress appropriately. Cover your body and you are more likely attract those men who will look you in the eye and love you for who you are rather than those who will look at your chest or legs and love you like an animal who alone wants to satisfy his carnal nature.
I was once very immodest so I understand the reasoning behind why a lot of the girls today dress this way, but I do not excuse it. I wish someone had told me earlier in life that I dressed to attract boys who would use me for my body. Too late have many girls discovered that they lost their sacred gift of virginity because of their ignorance of the importance, beauty and holiness of female modesty.
Another beautiful point I came across regards the aspect of the sacredness of women as a species. It said that anything sacred is veiled; the tabernacle, the chalice, the physical union of a man and a woman. These veilings are meant to tell us that there is something here that is mysterious and special and therefore should not be exposed to any and everyone. Woman are sacred because they possess a secret treasure, the treasure of creating life within them. Yet women do not recognize this gift, it is not prized by society and so they waste their gift on men who will dispose of it once they're through with her. The marital union is gravely mocked by those who do not understand its value; they do not know this again because we do not speak of it enough and hence women around the globe desecrate their blessed sanctuaries which end in producing barren fruit.
I'd like to relate an occurance which happened to me that opened my eyes to the gravity of this situation. This past summer I went to Ocean City, Maryland and took a dive in the salty Atlantic which I had not done in about eight years. Swimming in the ocean (or anywhere for that matter) was something I had long forgotten because I couldn't get myself to swim around men if I was dressed immodestly. Beaches are full of immodest people and I didn't want to feel pressured into wearing a rather modest one piece bathingsuit in public (cute though it was) simply because everyone around me was dressed improperly. However, this vacation I said to heck with everyone, I'm going to swim in shorts and a tee-shirt regardless as to who laughs at me. I did just that and loved every minute of it. When I went back to my place on the sand something crossed my mind that made me realize how far removed our world is from modesty and it hit me so profoundly that I made a mental note to never forget it. What befell me was innocent but nevertheless impressionable. I got out of the water and walked up to my umbrella and sat down on my chair. I was soaking wet. I sat in the sun to dry off but the clothing was so wet that I wasn't drying as fast as I hoped I would. I brought a second shirt to wear for when I was ready to leave and thought to put it on to feel more comfortable. Then a thought crossed my mind "Do I change my shirt here or should I go to the ladies room?" Looking around me I saw girls and women dressed so close to naked they could have been and realized that even if I did change my shirt in public, the men would have so much to feast their eyes upon I would probably go unnoticed. This little event made me recognize the depth of this moral problem in our culture. But more significantly, I realized that there exists a dangerous slippery slope for modest women who find themselves in these situations. It is so easy for women to rationalize subtle immodest behavior simply because other women dress more immodest than themselves. How dangerous it is; how careful we must be not to fall into this trap.
If I ever told this story to any secular person they would probably think me puritanical, but that would merely reinforce the point I want to make. We have lost our sense of the sacredness of the body and look at where we are because of it. Modest women need to rally for the restoration of modesty among other woman for to do so is to truly love womanhood. Sorry femi-nazi's, but only through true chaste modest female conduct will men treat us with the honor and respect we deserve. We must educate people by explaining to them the dire consequences of this grave social evil. The healthy future of marriages, families and thus of our nation are threatened by the immorality of immodesty. Are we really willing to take that chance? I'm not. Let's pray more young women hear our cry for modesty and come to love her for the beautiful gift she is, and lets pray that the little stone I throw at this monster will effect a happy ending by helping rescue these girls from this wicked foe.

Dolcis Humus

Humility. Comes from the Latin word "humus" meaning ground or soil. It's no coincedence that this virtue is related to the closest aspect of the earth we can know. In our eyes it's so dirty, but it's actually quite clean for it is that which in its nature it was meant to be and that makes it clean. If it wasn't "dirty" it wouldn't be dirt. This filth we call dirt, though gravely misunderstood, is essential to the foundation of the earth. It is what holds the world together, produces vegetation and gives our feet a place to stand. Without it, we would not have the beautiful world we see around us. What great lessons we can learn from this dirt in the spiritual life. Humility is the spiritual "dirt" that keeps our souls vegetated. This most rejected virtue does so much for the soul that we often do not give it enough credit. It builds character in ways no other virtue can. As St. Thomas More said "Humility,[is] that low, sweet root, [f]rom which all heavenly virtues shoot." This we must remember when dirt shows itself beneath the "souls" of our feet. Let's put our face a bit closer to the ground and examine with eyes of faith this heavenly dirt we call humility.
Humility has a funny way of befriending herself to us. In order to come close to her she'll ask us to trek down paths we do not wish to follow. One of these paths is called the via humilis, also known as the way of humiliation. How challenging a road this is goes without saying. You'll often see people falling over their feet, forgetting where they're going, or having to ask for directions, even the men! To those who risk their pride to follow humilities sweet trails, great blessings are accorded. Without the eyes of faith, this truth appears as foolishness; why should anyone become lowly and admit they need help? Yet, through these simple sufferings of humilation comes self awareness. Through this self awareness the sojourner learns the secret to true happiness, this being that he is nothing and needs Almighty God to take him and transform him into another image of Christ. For to know and imitate Christ is the key to eternal joy. But to imitate Christ is to imitate humility.
To give an example of exactly what humility does to a person I want to relate the life of a very holy man, St. Augustine. St. Augustine was not always the saint we remember him as. He was quite the pagan. In point of fact, it was he who said "Lord make me chaste, but not yet." This man was a great sinner, living an immoral life most people today could relate with. Yet over time he was humbled. However it wasn't through the humiliations of the body that he was humbled, rather, it was through the humilitation of the mind that his pride found its match. This type of humiliation, which Augustine's personality demanded, is an advanced form of humility since it is like a magnifying glass upon our conceited ego. It is more painful than the bodily forms of humiliation since it touches our very person, that is, our soul and hence it is more acute. It shows us as we are without the rose coloured glasses. But St. Augustine, through much grace, embraced this humility with open arms and from that moment he fought his pride by taking on the yoke of Christ thus becoming what we know him as today, St. Augustine, Doctor and Father of the Church. Humility can do so much to help us if we let her.
Yes, this admittance of who we are is most purifying and most people prefer not to follow the path of humility for this reason; but, to those who persevere, many great blessings are received. The shackles we love to carry will be taken from us and we will experience life as the birds of the heavens. Our spirits will fly upward towards our Eternal Father who will then vouchsafe to grant us further blessings depending on our response to His graces. A warning to those who do not know the way of humility, do not think that once you've made progress in humilty that life will get easy. Humility only strengthens the soul to further take on greater challenges. The climax in the life of those who wish to truly walk this walk comes with its total conquering of our person, body and soul at the stake of losing everything we hold dear. Be courageous but be forewarned.
In order to continue on this road, we must reflect upon the life of Christ. He will be the One who takes us further on this road than we ever could if left to ourselves. He is Humility Incarnate and He is the Way we must follow if we want to become humble. Let us then not scorn this dirt which we see surround us, this dirt that is good and teaches us both how to be, where to trod and Who to follow. She holds in her bosom the secret to finding the way to eternal happiness. So let us listen, for God's holy dirt speaks to us. In sweet humility may we die...+

Late Night Thoughts on Childhood

I have been researching for almost a straight 10 hours (I'm not exaggerating) and I need a glass of wine. Wine is so nice when you're mentally frazzled. It helps warm the soul, calm the nerves and make serious women like me find the giddiness of life. My choices are Merlot and Chianti (I really prefer the latter) It's funny how certain tastes can trigger thoughts in a person. Carlo Rossi's Chianti for example, takes me back to the days when I was little girl. How lovely it was! Grandpa's Sunday macaroni with garlic bread, fresh escarole with Jersey tomatoes along with my little recycled jelly glass cup holding about a quarter inch of red wine. This, I was told, was to help make my blood healthy and my mind silly. Honestly though, I see nothing wrong in giving children alcohol, so long as it's monitored. If anything it will make them sleep and what's wrong with that?
Just now Our Lady's October moon is gently rising over my neighbors rooftop and I can hear little voices outside my window playing out in the street, reveling in the outside air before their parents tell them it's time to come in. What sweet little children they are. I wish I could be out there with them. I remember being little and playing outside with the neighborhood kids. The whole gang would come out and we'd play ultimate man hunt which meant you could hide anywhere in the development and you'd never get caught unless you really sought to be. Later in life I learned to play flashlight tag. Awesome game! So much fun. I'd get dressed all in black (once my favorite color) and wait for the earth to darken and then gather outside with my little friends to experience some of the most exhilarating thrills of my life, at least up till that point in time. Oh the intensity, the excitement. How I miss those days. It's wonderful remembering those days when I was still unaware of the nature of evil, didn't know mortal sin, was free of all worries and knew that mom was there to hold me close whenever I was scared or needed a hug. I slept in the arms of innocence and peacefully waited for the dawn of each new day.
For tonight I'd like to discuss the topic of (if you couldn't already guess) childhood. Childhood has to be one of the most unappreciated gifts... especially among those too young to know anything but. They do not know (and rightly so) what it is they do not bear. Yet once they grow up and drink from the cup of suffering, they begin to recognize what a treasure childhood is. Growing up reminds me of what its like when someone in your life dies or leaves you and you realize how much you love them, because you never thought what life would be like without having them in it. This same effect occurs in people who grow up and taste the pains of life. It amazes me how so many people in their older years say "when I was a boy (girl)", "I remember when my mom (dad)"etc. People always refer to their childhoods to recall those times in their life when they were most happy. But what is it about childhood that makes our hearts reflect? To me the answer to this question is obvious. Innocence is bliss!
But who is to say when childhood must end? I've never read a book where it's concretely defined. But I propose that there is a very good reason why there isn't a set age to conclude the years of childhood.
Childhood should not have an age set to it; I believe childhood does not limit itself by age. For example, a girl in her teenage years can very well be living in childhood. Let me illustrate this for you. I've been privileged to know a young girl, sixteen years old, who, at her age mind you, did not yet know about prostitution, condoms or French kissing. What she did know however, was how to play with her beanie dolls, tell funny tales to her little siblings, write stories about kittens and draw pictures of little girls in hats on dreamy prairies. She is sixteen, she is innocent and she still lives in childhood. She is content in her world of childhood and lives joyfully as she prepares herself through this state to one day blossom into that beautiful woman she will one day be.
I will take this point a step further and say that even an adult can live in a state of childhood. No, I'm not crazy, just listen. This past summer I went on a weekend retreat to a remote haven in the hills of northern Pennsylvania called the Priory of Our Lady of Ephesus. It was a truly wonderful visit and I recommend everyone get there if you can. Anyway, the order of nuns who run the convent are known as the Oblates of Mary. Well, while there I noticed this same spirit of innocence and simplicity among the sisters. Granted they are nuns, but today this means very little. These women radiated a joy that I've never witnessed in anyone. They made my heart burn with a desire to want to be like them. But what was it they had that I wanted? This spirit of a childhood. Now I know that not all people can live secluded from the world like monks and nuns, but have there not been men and women in history who have succeeded in preserving this childhood within them even though they did not live such lives? Indeed there were. We call these people the secular saints. Some examples would be Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Cecilia, St.Elizabeth of Hungary. God does not call everyone to live as a priest or religious but He does call everyone to be perfect and in order to be perfect Christ exhorts we be like little children.
But let's clarify our definition. Being like a child does not mean being foolish, immature, naive or even young. What it means is that one has the desire to be a child of God by trusting oneself completely to His care. No I don't think God expects us to behave foolishly, rather I believe wants us to have that abandonment of heart like that of a child and to not rely on ourselves but on Him.
This spirit is within all of us, even men. Men are certainly not exempt from wanting this. I've seen it shine through them on a natural level. It's so cute too. For example, when I see a man around a doting mother (not even necessarily his own)he exposes a little bit of this spirit hiding within him. He lets himself be interrogated about his eating habits, eats when he doesn't want to, listens to her advice, and always he welcomes the hug. He is like a little boy hiding in big men's clothing. As much as men may appear to not enjoy it, I think they do. I think they like having that woman to be their mother and take care of their needs; they want to be nutured and loved. This attitude may even be the reason why men crave marriage so much. It is their desire to be taken care of and to entrust themselves to another that they are so attracted to the feminine sex, who's primary function is to fulfill these needs. She is a figure on the natural level what God is on the supernatural. She feeds his soul that love which God has for Him in His nuturing sense. It's really cool when you think of it like that isn't it? So yes this spirit is in all of us, we just have to look hard enough to know it's there.
It's getting rather late and my back is starting to hurt so I want to put this tired puppy to bed. To quickly recap, I just want to say that we should all seek this childhood in whatever vocation we've been called to fulfill. We should all nurture this craving for the spirit of childhood since that's what I believe God wants of us. "Suffer not the little children to come to Me." That includes us! Lets not make ourselves the obstacle which prevents our true "inner child" from attaining it's longed for end, our Abba. Adesso, Finito. Allora, Ciao!

Jack the Nipper Has Been Caught!

Camden, NJ- Long sought Jack the Nipper was caught late last night in downtown Camden New Jersey after months of tireless search. Thousands of illegal packages of cat nip were found off Camden County's south end pier near 5th and Broad Street. Mass numbers of cats scattered in a moment of panic when officer K Nine unleashed their blackmarket rings of swindling cat nip, a nexus now spanning throughout the entire Delaware Valley region. Also arrested was guardian of the hub, infamous Black Cat dealer Annamese, number 2 on Camden County's list for America's most wanted. Both Jack and Annamese have been arrested and taken into veterinary custody for lifeterm sentence. Our streets are safe once again.

Good grief, is this what we're coming to? LOL :o

Attention Choral Singers

For those of you who sing in a choir or just like free stuff you may find my this post to your advantage. I happened upon an excellent web site which carries free sheet music for choirs and/or solo singers. It's worth checking out. To those of you who know me and sing with me, please look at this site; I'm tempted have a go with you both at another a cappella piece. Remember Christmas is coming and my brain is churning with those crazy ideas. Come on, let's be wild and sing polyphony! (Before I leave this state I'm determined to sing at least one piece by Palestrina for Father.) Doesn't everyone want to be like the people in this picture? What you all don't know is that my face is the one covered by that man's folder. He didn't want you to know I sang with the Cambridge Singers. It's my bogus secret; don't tell anyone. Enjoy....
.choral sheet music

Higher Education and the Quest of Gawain (Revised)

Scholastic studies. Are they really necessary? Maybe if that's what we were taught in today's classrooms. Ahh, what a penance it is for me to go to school. Hundreds of young adults are assigned into rooms of white washed walls, tile ceilings and neon lights to absorb the drivel that pours from our hailed professor's mouths. What's worst is that I recognize the brainwashing these professors are accomplishing which is effecting these impressionable intellects and is thus corrupting the future of our society. It makes me want to stand atop my desk and shout, "What hypocracy! How you claim to teach free thinking and tolerance to all thought expressions save to those who comes along and question your own false logic. Oh where now are those who preached the questioning of beliefs and behaviors? Why can we not now question those who impel us to accept immorality and encourage us to doubt all we believe to be sacred and true?" Sadly, I'm afraid if I ever found that gumption that my voice would go unheard and I'd be labeled a fanatic and get sentenced to campus counseling so my mind would be more attuned to the spirit of the school's environment. Shamefacedly however, I succumb to the pressures of our cultural norms and keep my mouth shut. Ugh!
I once heard a wise man say "the reason evil triumphs is because good men do nothing." How true, how true, and again how true. There is this sense of indifferentism which is diseasing our culture to the point that few there are who even recognize it exists. And to those who do, well, many of them have jumped the "nothing I do will make a difference" bandwagon. But in the meantime, our adversary is checkmating the entire world. Where are the pawns,the bishops,the knights? Is this fight to be fought by heaven forbid, the King himself? Where is our Sir Gawain? (Sir, who?)
Sir Gawain, the humble knight from the Arthurian legend of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." Excellent story, great moral. For those who don't know the plot-line I'll give you a brief interlude. The story involves the adventures of young Gawain, a knight and nephew of King Arthur, who is challenged by a monstrous Green Knight to cut off the monster's head and then meet him in one years time to have his own head cut off as well. Pure clean fun in Camelot, no? It does get better.Anyway, my reason for bringing this up is because of the plight it sets up for us. When the Green Knight first came to Arthur's court and challenged one of his knights to cut off his head, none dared to face him. Arthur eventually offered himself as the one to do the task which revealed the cowardice of his revered knights. But then arrived Gawain, who took the sword and sacrificed himself for the honor of his king. Seeing himself least among the knights due to his stature and ability, he became the prey of this curious beast and spared his king's reputation. Hail, good Sir Gawain!
I cite this tale because it reflects perfectly what I'm seeing happen to us as a culture. There is a monster (communism, modernism, indifferentism, pluralism, ecuminism, whateverism etc...) who wishes to challenge us in our loyalty to our God and King. Is there one who is willing to take the risk to say or do something to protect the honor due to our king, the King of Heaven, by showing this monster for what he truly is? Are we armed and ready to fight this deceitful foe who wants to tell us nothing we do will matter? Are we willing to meet him anywhere, be it at a Starbucks, college classroom even in our own parishes? Haven't we had enough of the lies that fill the innocent minds of people around the world who deserve a right to the truth? Though Gawain never existed his ideal does and for those who are ready to join in that quest we must be there to take up our arms and fight for that King and defend that Truth until that Green Knight's head we too shall claim.
(Please note, I am not advocating manslaughter or anything that even resembles it. The point I want to make is that people should try and do something, be it spiritual or otherwise, to help fight the evil one who is ravaging our lands. Not everyone is a St. Vincent Ferrare, I'm not, but that doesn't mean we can't be that sign of contradiction in our simple little everyday lives and speak by our example. However, if God does give us the grace to speak with prudence, wisdom and charity to someone you see being mislead then we must approach them. We must try to lead them towards Truth. This is what I when I speak of my quest. I hope that clears things up. Now by George it's late! Time to go to bed. Buona Notte!)

Chivalry's End

Does this image not represent what every true woman in her heart desires; i.e. to find that unknown love whom she has always known though has never met? Oh, for a girl to find a man to satisfy that hunger that tortures her heart is most difficult in our day. For a woman's heart craves a union of persons, not just the flesh. Yet how many men seek to attain that higher love? How beauteous it is to imagine having a love where the heart needn't fear to forfeit itself to its beloved. Where the soul can bloom as the lilies in spring and pour forth its chaste love to the one whom it desires.
I post this picture because in it I see much of what real women desire. Let me first lay out what it is I see within the fibers of this canvas. First, I see a virgin maid arrayed in the fine garments of modest purity. She seems to have been waiting for her true love to come and take her heart for his own. And there too is he whom her heart longeth to behold, the chaste and noble knight who kneels wearily after having suffered great trials to finally meet and beg her for her love and thus exchange his heart and soul for hers. Though the picture is a still shot, I imagine he further asks that she permit him to escort her to his humble kingdom where they can joyously share their love together until the end of their days. She brightly smiles and graciously permits his request. He then gently takes her hand and with the purest affection, kisses her softly to thus consecrate himself to that love which she alone will claim.
This image, this dream, this love...must women only hope for such love in the tales of romantic chivalry? My heart tells me no. Yes, the hearts of men and women are different, but not so much so that they both do not desire the aforementioned love. I argue that the problem of today is that neither men and women care to listen to their hearts long enough to hear it tell them that indeed, it does want this ideal. It does want the higher love which suffers in waiting for that spouse and which loves not the flesh but the virtue found shining through the instrument of the body. If the media didn't drown the consciences' of people with its deluge of immorality seen at every turn, then I believe that the expectations from of old would eventually return to us. Chivalry's ideal should not be for the antiquarian, but for the contemporarian. To return to this however, society must fight like the knight to protect itself from the enemy which slips quietly into the soul through sin. Watch and pray for we do not the hour when he will approach, we must forever be vigil. Once this is accomplished in us, then we can rid this world of the lie that sin is good and good is whatever you want it to be. And then will the voice of true and pure love shout again to call those who will hear her voice.
In closing, some thoughts for my fellow maidens and knights.
Dear maidens, do not sell yourselves for less than you're worth. Listen not to the lie of the traitorous demon who flatters you with his vile, venomous tongue. Forget not what he did to our first mother Eve. He still desires to seduce our minds, for he knows the power of a virtuous woman and the influence she has in molding the hearts of men and from men the world. Hold close then your pearls, they are priceless and can never be regained once lost. Live as the virtuous maiden for you will receive that reward if you suffer to possess it. You will find that knight and you can attain that love.
Dear knights, though few women today know their worth and choose to squander their pearls, you must aspire to become the virtuous knight she truly seeks. Not enough women know that men can be more than a handsome face, strong arms and lustful lips. But you can be and you should be. To find a man who wants that nobler love is few and far between. How priceless you would be if found by her and she by you. The rewards of such a life satisfy more than the flesh, which even you may at times confess to desire. Be our protector, be our strength. You were made the stronger and wiser of the two sexes. Do not let your natural gifts fall upon vain activities when there are so many women who need you to guide them in their weakness and vulnerability. Take your natural right and use it for the purpose it was meant for and satisfy that nobler self.
Do knights still exist? Do holy virgins dwell in our adulterated land? Yes they do, they are in you and me, but we have to make them live, we need to make them known. Their voices are hard to be heard and but if we listen long enough we will hear them cry to us. Let us then join them and make ourselves into the persons we were made to be. Thus will we preserve our race by preserving that holy love which waits pure and chaste from afar and verily will we come to find that one love who will take us to that higher love in that humble kingdom. To chivalry's end we go...

The Insane Genius

I recently finished watching the film "A Beautiful Mind" ,the story of Nobel Prize winner John Nash, and had a thought cross my mind which I wanted to put out for others to consider. I'd like to preface my question however, by saying that I did like the movie, some serious blasphemy could have been negated, but nevertheless the story was intriguing, not to mention that the musical score carried me to the moon. God bless James Horner, he takes me places no man ever has. But I digress. The question that struck me was this: Is there a correlation between natural genius and insanity?
Pondering upon this question, I have to say I believe the barrier that separates the former from the latter is not fortuitous. To be able to work up theories and mathematical equations which run volumes long requires a certain kind of cerebral madness which boarders upon insanity. Don't misunderstand this point; I do not mean to say that all men of genius are mad, but that they have great potential for madness if they do not recreate their minds upon the simple and mundane or if they do not live in the state of sanctifying grace. Leaving anything that complex to itself can only end in destructive madness, save through the grace of God.(My thanks to Claudio Salvucci for clarifying this point).
But there also exists another point to consider. Imagine possessing the kind of mind that sees mathematical figures in all that is seen or in getting pleasure by doing nothing but solving problems, be they in "Myst" video games, 30,000 piece puzzles or looking at Time Life magazines to decode Russian threats regarding national annihilation (this is a reference to John Nash). This sort of mind if left alone would probably stay at any of these puzzles for hours on end. I know this to be true because I knew someone who stayed awake for 24 hours to complete the above mentioned video game. What is the remedy then to this man one may wonder? What could help him?Some might say he could use a drink maybe even two drinks, but I propose he aspire towards the often forgotten virtue of simplicity.
Simplicity is a virtue which this type of man should study. It makes one reflect on life without all the complexities and lightens the mind and heart by setting it upon that which is sometimes not seen by those men of genius, namely the beauty of life and of wonder it contains. If I had John Nash here with me tonight, I'd offer him a concept which I think would throw his mind into a tangled web of confusion, forcing him to wrestle with himself until he came my conclusion. This concept is a divine paradox, if you will, a great mystery to all men. God is perfect simplicity and absolute knowledge. Now go think...
The sad thing about the situation with John Nash is that I know someone who knew a man very much like him; not in his personality but in his mentality. He was a man so brilliant that you would swear everything he said was dogma. His mind was as fine as a sharpened sword and just as deadly. He would analyze and deduce every action you'd make, every word you'd say and then expect you to tell him why you said something or did something or didn't do or say something and how all of this meant something else which you never intended. Knowing this man for many years, this girl suffered terribly and has ever since. Her mind has fought to no longer live in his world of insanity which he convinced her was the only reality with all else being a lie. What would she say if she was asked this question of the insane genius? I wonder...
So who's to say there isn't a correlation between genius and insanity? Should any man dare say otherwise, I would challenge him with this... try asking what it's like for those living with such people. Or better, try living with such a person for yourself and see if you don't come to embrace my theory that the minds of the genius and insane are as close as night is to day at sunrise. For unless a genius be of impeccable virtue, he will end his days in mindless riddles which will lead him to no good end, and he'll only make others want to dissect their own minds to see if maybe they've lost their own through his.
Be thought-full but remember to KISS, keep it simple stupid!
Nota Bene...John Nash also suffered from severe schizophrenia which I believe was a case of diabolic possession, but that's a whole different topic which I do not have the time to discuss. Until then... Ciao!