The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
-- Albert Einstein
We went to a local CASA vigil one evening this week, where the thought above was shared. We have a responsibility to help those who are powerless. I particularly like Bonhoeffer's perspective on this.
...like those that helped in the bombings in Boston earlier this week. It seems to me that those who help others the most are the ones who have traveled through the pains of this life themselves -- they have seen the other side of pain and can reassure others that it is survivable and may even give you a gift in the process. When this happens, we let go of the fist that grips the things that we believe we need to avoid pain and allows us to offer the same 'release' to others. Here is a beautiful story from the bombings in Boston earlier this week that illustrates this surprising, but deeply true discovery.
