Take off the kid gloves
I've just finished watching the premier of Saved on TNT. Each episode takes man-boy Wyatt Cole through one 24-hour paramedic shift. Wyatt is charming and attractive, though his superhuman zen peace might get tiring by about the third episode. I'm looking forward to more episodes, as though it has campy hospital drama elements and nauseating bumpy camera shots, I expect it'll be good enough to watch to the end.
I'm finally articulating a lot of elements in my mind in a suitable way. Of many important points, there are a few I'll write here.
If prudence isn't the damnation of all of us, if prudence is good for anything than it's good for this: it should prevent us from overextending ourselves over things that decrease our quality of life. Sacrifice as portrayed by a crown of thorns is never necessary. There is an essential difference between honest struggle and sacrifice, which is a form of an evil thing called compromise. A sacrifice made out of guilt or a sense of duty--or in other words a perverse and heartless sacrifice--is a disservice, and not even a neutral act. Compromise is a word that doesn't exist to those with strength of character.
At the end of the day, quality of life is all there is. There are certain standards that should never be compromised. The potential of success or gain in the future is a lousy reason to squander the health and the beauty of a present moment, no matter what the gain could potentially be. Conversely, every effort can and should be made to prevent all preventable loss. The loss of a crop, or a limb, or a life are losses that must be fought against with clear eyes. Rage against the dying of the light and everything. This is the key to preserving the balance of progress and quality of life. We have no need for quantum leaps. And of course as a defect of human nature progress will always come in short brilliant bursts, as individual lives we must balance progress and the preservation of quality of life in order to nourish our souls.
I'm finally articulating a lot of elements in my mind in a suitable way. Of many important points, there are a few I'll write here.
If prudence isn't the damnation of all of us, if prudence is good for anything than it's good for this: it should prevent us from overextending ourselves over things that decrease our quality of life. Sacrifice as portrayed by a crown of thorns is never necessary. There is an essential difference between honest struggle and sacrifice, which is a form of an evil thing called compromise. A sacrifice made out of guilt or a sense of duty--or in other words a perverse and heartless sacrifice--is a disservice, and not even a neutral act. Compromise is a word that doesn't exist to those with strength of character.
At the end of the day, quality of life is all there is. There are certain standards that should never be compromised. The potential of success or gain in the future is a lousy reason to squander the health and the beauty of a present moment, no matter what the gain could potentially be. Conversely, every effort can and should be made to prevent all preventable loss. The loss of a crop, or a limb, or a life are losses that must be fought against with clear eyes. Rage against the dying of the light and everything. This is the key to preserving the balance of progress and quality of life. We have no need for quantum leaps. And of course as a defect of human nature progress will always come in short brilliant bursts, as individual lives we must balance progress and the preservation of quality of life in order to nourish our souls.