Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-23
THE SUNDAY STAR
Washington, d. G.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER -, 1855

our own problems right here at home, we
talk about problems out there IN the
world. An escape process goes on from
the intolerable burden we have placed
upon ourselves. But can one really feel
deeply for an abstraction called the mass?
Can one make the future substitute for
the present? And what guarantee have
we that the future viii be any better II
we neglect the present? Can one solve
world problems when one Is unable to
solve ones own? Where have we arrived
in this process? Have we been successful,
working ct the periphery Of the circle and
not at the center?
II we stop to think about it. are not
the real casualties in modern life Just
these centers have been discussing: The
here, the now, the individual and his re-
lationships. The present Is passed over in
the race for the future; the here Is ne
elected In favor Of the there; and the
Individual Is dwarfed by the enormity
Of the mass. America, which has the most
glorious present still existing in the world
today, hardly stops to enjoy 1t, in her
Unsuitable appetite for the future. Per-
haps the historian or the sociologist or
the philosopher would say that we are
still propelled by our frontier energy. still
conditioned by our pioneer presslres or
our Puritan anxiety to do ye next thing"
Europe, on the other hand. which we
think Of as being enamored Of the past.
has since the last war, strangely enough,
been forced into new appreciation OF
the present. The good past Is SO far
away and the near past is so horrible and
the future Is 50 perilous. that the present
has q chance to expand into golden
eternity Of here and now. Europeans
today are enjoying the moment even If
it means merely q walk in the country
on Sunday or slipping cup Of black cof-
fee at q sidewalk cafe.
Perhaps we never appreciate the here
and now until 1t Is challenged. as it Is
beginning to be today even in America.
And have we not also been awakened to
o new sense Of the dignity Of the individ-
ual because Of the threats and tempta-
tions to him. In our time. to surrender
his individuality to the mass-whether 1t
be industry or war or Standardization OF
thought and action? We are now ready
for true appreciation Of the value of the
here and the now and the individual.
The here, the now, and the individual,
have always been the special concern Of
the saint, the artist, the poet. and-from
time irnmemorial- woman. In the
small circle Of the home she has never
quite forgotten the particular uniqueness
Of each member Of the family: the spon-
taneity Of now; the vividness Of here.
This Is the basic substance Of life. These
are the individual elements that form the
bigger entities like mass. future, world.
We may neglect these elements, but We
cannot dispense with them. They are
the drops that make Up the stream. They
are the essence Of life itself. It may be
our special function to emphasize again
these neglected realities, not as q retreat
from greater responsibilities but as q flrst
real step toward deeper understanding
and solution Of them. When we start
ct the center Of ourselves. We discover
something worthwhile extending toward
the periphery Of the circle. We find
again some Of the JOY in the now some Of
the peace In the here. some Of the love
in me and thee which 60 to make UP
the kingdom Of heaven ON earth.
THE WAVES echo behind me. Patience
Faith Openness. is what the sea
has to teach. Simplicity Solitude-In-
termittency. But there are other
beaches to explore There are more shells
to ind. This Is only beginning.