my brother wisely quotes the wise.
this week, on facebook, he quoted mark twain, who wisely said, "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." (i commented with, "and to the bowels," which i thought was at once both wise and funny, but nobody pushed the like button, so i am now left to conclude that, although wise, the wise aren't much fun to hang out with.)
i also left a second comment, along the lines of, yes, i agree, but let's not forget to be compassionate to the prejudiced, the bigoted, and the narrow-minded. they need it more, maybe, than anybody else. at least as much as.
if we are compassionate to those for whom we feel sorry or for those to whom we are attracted in some way, that's great. i'll never argue with compassionate responses.
but are we compassionate to the ones we despise? to our enemies? to the ones we can't understand for the life of us how in the hell they could think that way?
sadly, for most of us, probably not.
and that is why i go, er, travel, to church. to keep me on the path of loving those i loathe. i don't need to go to church to feel compassionate towards starving children in africa. i don't need to go to church to feel compassionate towards people who don't have health care (ahem).
what i need to go to church for (cuz it certainly isn't gonna happen of my own accord) are the people i don't like.
and, for myself, actually. because if i am compassionate only or mostly to those for whom my compassion comes easily, then, really, i am compassionate for me.
and if i am compassionate only, really, for me, then no amount of travel is likely to change that.
sorry, mark twain.
