Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Science without humanity
Knowledge without character
Politics without principle
Commerce without morality
Worship without sacrifice.
If you think about it, all human suffering stems from one of these.
I hate the word sin. It implies a sucker punch of judgement, so, instead of sin, I like to think of mindful living.
I can't say I am anywhere close to the abode of mindful living, but I have the address, and that's a start.
Years ago, I was a single mother, short on patience and emotional reserves, just trying to do what had to be done and enjoy my daughter and life. I remember a story on the radio I heard from this time about Gandhi. He was in an important meeting and his nephew stormed in demanding something, acting like an angry child, and the observer said that Gandhi, instead of being annoyed, sending the child away, merely put a finger over the child's mouth, and his other hand over his own heart until the child calmed. Another part of the story was how he used everything for its purpose, as in he had a pencil that he continued to use until it was nothing more than a nub.
I think I am a pretty typical American. Something cracks or chips, I throw it away and buy another. That is, until lately, with the economy and its wake up call. Suffering of any sort is a call to mindful living.
If you look closely at any of the sins, the yin yang quality is so obvious, but it wasn't about an hour ago.
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