Tuesday, July 20, 2010

How Long to the Point of No Return?

At the moment of surrender
I folded to my knees.
I did not notice the passers by,
And they did not notice me.

--U2, "Moment of Surrender."

I saw a kid today walking along the side of the highway. Maybe seventeen, eighteen years old. No shirt on, angry expression on his face, can of beer in his hand. It was 7:30 a.m.

I spent the rest of the day working in the woods--forester stuff. Woods work lends itself to reflection, and occasionally deep thinking. It's quiet, lonely work, but this makes it conducive to thought. Most of the foresters I know are closet philosophers as a result. My mind kept returning to the kid.

We talk a lot about "choice" in the United States. The "right" to choose, or the "consequences" of choice, loosely and glibly saying things like "you can be anything you want to be if you just set your mind to it" or "you can be president of the United States someday if you want to."

I don't know about all that. I think sometimes your choices are limited, are already made for you, and you are left to work with the hand you've been dealt.

What about the kid? I kept wondering "is there a definitive point, a defining moment, a specific instance in time, when a conscious decision is made by someone that this is the way my life is going to be?" A point of realization--an awakening--that has the potential to define the rest of your life.

A point when this young kid thought "there's no future for me."

A point when a child with a deformity realizes that people look away when he comes into a room.

A point when an orphan decides "nobody really loves me."

A point when a couple decides "this relationship just isn't worth saving."

A point when an old person realizes they're going to die alone.

If there is such a point, and I believe there must be, it is one of the great tragedies of life.

I hope that I can somehow help one person I encounter to never reach this point of no return.

I hope you'll at least think about joining me.

7 comments:

  1. I call the point an epiphany, Ray. A point in a person's life when they can make or break either way. Sometimes it is influenced by a chance event but most of the time it is influenced by an intervention. Someone enters one's life as a good influence or a bad one. The best we can do is try to be a positive influence whenever possible and reach out whenever we see someone stumble. In any case, count me in.

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  2. Bob, I guess it is an epiphany. I've always thought of the word is a positive context, and I'd never really considered that there could be a point when someone consciously decides "this is the way it's going to be." Especially a child.

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  3. I really liked this post. You are beginning to find your niche. Soon you will be able to replace the fake comments on the sidebar with real quotes. Because you are a good writer.

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  4. Thank you Laurie, you are very kind.

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  5. The side comments are fake???!

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  6. Hahaha, beckyc.
    You ARE a good writer, Ray. Good and thoughtful post. Looking forward to reading more.

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