This is a video that I’ve been looking for ever since I saw it at a Jon Kabat Zinn lecture a few years back… now, a new cause has found a use for it …

via: metafilter

What You Do With What You’ve Got
Eddie Reader

You must know someone like him - he was tall and strong and lean
With a body like a greyhound and a mind so sharp and keen
But his heart just like a laurel grew twisted round itself
Till almost everything he did brought pain to someone else

It’s not just what you’re born with
It’s what you choose to bear
It’s not how big your share is
It’s how much you can share
It’s not the fights you dreamed of
It’s those you really fought
It’s not what you’ve been given
It’s what you do with what you’ve got

What’s the use of two strong legs if you only run away
And what’s the use of the finest voice if you’ve nothing good to say
What’s the use in strength and muscle if you only push and shove
And what’s the use of two good ears if you can’t hear those you love

What’s the use of two strong legs if you only run away
And what’s the use of the finest voice if you’ve nothing good to say
What’s the use in strength and muscle if you only push and shove
And what’s the use of two good ears if you can’t hear those you love

Between those who use their neighbours and those who use the cane
Between those in constant power and those in constant pain
Between those who run to glory and those who cannot run
Tell me which ones are the cripples and which ones touch the sun

Which ones touch the sun…

Love has a lot in common with Faith.

According to a certain worldview, Faith is not real –in the physical sense– except so far as certain chemicals and certain connections exist in one’s brain. Deities do not exist, because they are not observable.

Somewhat related is the claim that faith is not rational, in the sense that there are no irrefutable logical arguments for believing in said non-observable deities.

You could argue the same for Love — chemicals, for sure, as you might have seen in one scientific report or another. As well, and I don’t think I need to elaborate, Love is not very rational.

More to the point, unspeakable acts (as well as great acts of sacrifice and generosity) have been committed in both their names.

How come, then, we don’t hear battle cries, from people upholding the aforementioned worldview, calling for the abolishment of Love?

(*I would say this is inspired by Rebecca Goldstein’s reading at this meeting, but inspiration is probably a weaker and more indirect link than actually is.)