Elinor’s Observation Works for Me

The Observation Still Works

Elinor Dashwood’s observation works for me: she expressed the restraint our current events necessitates:

“And sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in.” (Sense in Sensibility)

Just in the past month, as I have listened to friends, I had no words for some of their propositions. Some believe one set of facts about the pandemic; others are convinced by another set of facts. One group is convinced the vaccine is a godsend; another believes it is dangerous beyond anything we could imagine.

And we all have unimpeachable sources!

So many opinions because the information sources keep multiplying — For now, I am skipping the divisions that surface about social justice, social policies, God, the church, motherhood and apple pie. Remember, the interesting times in which we live may well be a curse.

Has there ever been such a divisive time?

Oh Yeah.

Maybe that’s why Isaiah’s warning keeps echoing, and I keep repeating:

God spoke strongly to me, grabbed me with both hands
and warned me not to go along with this people. He said:
“Don’t be like this people,
always afraid somebody is plotting against them.
Don’t fear what they fear.
Don’t take on their worries.
If you’re going to worry,
worry about The Holy.
Fear God . . . (Isaiah 8:11-13— the Message)

Getting down to brass tacks —if all these theories are facts, Who ya gonna call?

God says, Call ME. (Jeremiah 33:3) Even if I have no words . . . especially when I have no words.

Elinor’s observation for the feelings welling up inside her works for me too! But, Jeff Greenfield comes closer to declaring an antidote I believe as well: