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The good in all of us

I assume there is no question in anyone’s mind that we humans are a unique species in the world. There is no other creature which comes close to our ability to understand, and cope with the wonders of life.

One thing that has been a problem in human societies over many years, is the way we govern ourselves. The thing which has dominated many governments over the centuries was … who ever had the advantage of power, were those who set the rules. Like animals, might has always made right, at least as far as the mighty were concerned.

There is a great variety in humans. I sometimes think of us in the same way as I think of a symphonic orchestra. There is no common ground between the brass, the woodwinds, the strings and the percussion instruments. The trumpet blares beyond the maximum volume of the violin or the harp, and the bass drum is in its own world of deep, thunderous, rhythm.

There is as much difference among various humans, but the violin does its own thing with no feeling of inferiority or superiority. It just does what it does with no embarrassment. When all the instruments are played within their own boundaries of reality, no more or no less, well tuned within themselves, with no motive beyond being themselves, strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion … their combination brings to life the most stirring symphony imaginable, in an amazement of inspirational sound, from the heavens of man’s infinite imagination.

We are, the same as the various musical instruments, unique in our individual ways. We are gifted with different talents, and different interests. We are, as the old nursery rhyme says, the butcher, the baker, and candle stick maker. We have different faces, potentials, interests, talents, and live different lives. I would doubtless fail trying to live in your shoes, and you perhaps in mine, whether they looked tempting from the outside or not. Whether we know it or not, we are each different in different ways. The biggest mistake any of us make is trying to be someone or something we were not born to be.

We must all follow our own nose, and dance to the music we each hear. We must have confidence in being who we are. Then we become everything we can be, and fly on our own wings!

Every living thing on earth has its own life to live, its own space to occupy, and its own destiny to fulfill. I offer the following verse that I wrote several years ago:

A guy’s gotta do

(What a guy’s gotta do)

I’m prob’ly not the smartest guy

That you will ever know.

In fact, you may have thought at times

That I’m a little slow.

I may not have the prowess

Of some famous athlete,

But just go stumbling through my life

A-tripping on my feet.

In actual fact, of mankind’s litter,

I may be the runt.

When joking of life’s nitwits,

I may best befit the brunt.

I’ll tell you this, however,

As the winds of life blow by,

I’ll squeeze out every ounce of joy

An idiot can buy.

I’ll not waste any time in grief

About my lowly state,

But only work at what I can,

And that will fill my plate.

I’ll focus on the things I can.

I’ll give it my best try,

And I’ll drink the wine of life …

Until I’ve drained the goblet dry.

May God bless America.

Richard Westlund is a Collins resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com

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