Profound Accomplishment
The comments on the Tribune Article keep coming in. There are the crazy comments about taxes that keep popping up but, in addition to that, there are the wonderful, amazing, affirming comments from so many of my former students about their successes and the value of their education. As bad as this whole hearing thing has been, it has been so rewarding and humbling to read their letters of support. The emails and telephone calls have been pouring in. A dear friend sent this email and I wanted to post it.
"I read your blog; I do agree that we are all insignificant when compared to the universe. It is rather humbling to imagine our own problems compared to the entire history of man. And then to expand upon that sense of entire meaninglessness, to the cosmos. But, it is also reassuring that my life is so small. I think it suggests that things will go on and I will continue to find my way. I read something recently that said anything we undertake that is truly profound will never be accomplished in our lifetimes. So, as you have already alluded when you speak of teaching, you have already set the wheels for your own immortality in motion. Best, "J"
When I was young, I recall my father commenting about people who thought they were more valuable than others or more important. "You aren't worth less than anyone else, Cyn," he would say, "You aren't worth more either. We are all important. We are all valuable." J's email reminds me that the contribution of each and every human being matters in the cosmic scheme of things. The goal is to just keep moving forward.
