..is within our grasp
July 17, 2012 (Tuesday)
Shakespeare, in his play, “The Merchant of Venice,” gives the
character Portia a beautiful speech:
“The quality of mercy is not strain’d,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
..
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.”
I wish for all of us to exhibit the qualities of mercy, showing grace to each other. I would like to see the candidates for political office adopt the plan of telling us more about themselves than digging up dirt on their opponents. Our vindictives against our enemies these days serve to further degrade humanity and offer no hope for improvement of our institutions.
Love accomplishes more than hatred ever can. In the words of the old hymn, “Love lifted me, love lifted me, when nothing else could help, love lifted me.”