Waxing Philosophical

Can one truly be too kind? Too charitable, patient, caring, joyous, hopeful, merciful or loving? Do the human graces have intrinsic limits, beyond which lies…what? Madness? Sanctity?

I am not a wise man, but even I know that the smallest measure of hatred, anger, incivility, cynicism, selfishness, prejudice, callousness, intolerance, abuse, cruelty or injustice can harm another and damage a soul (including one’s very own). The tiniest fraction of soul-rot is simply (unacceptably) too much.

I’ve spent so much time and energy battling my dark impulses that I’ve hardly begun to explore the limits of human goodness. There’s been way too much Yin and not enough Yang…not anywhere near enough. I have no idea where those limits (?) might be. I’ve never pushed the edge of that envelope.

Still, I have some time (even if measured in days), to seek the bounds of virtue. I want to hoist the sails and clamber into the crow’s nest to find what lies beyond the tempests and the dark waves...beyond the infinite ocean.

I hope, someday, to report back on what I’ve discovered.

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