Philosophical Wednesday.
21 April 2010
I am in a strange mood this week. For one thing, I find that I would much rather listen this week than talk. This is no problem, as I have found that even when you work at home, you can wander out into the world in various places and overhear conversations at will. Which can be much more fun that going to the bother of engaging in your own. But it is a problem when it comes to blogging, which of course demands content. But I will exploit the blogging loophole of comments, as I have several questions for you today.
Last weekend I wasn't feeling very well, and was therefore engaging in mood and comfort reading. (It's been a very moody week. I'm still waiting for the "productive" and "cleaning" moods to wander by, but I don't think it's going to happen.) When I need comfort reading I invariably turn to Norman Maclean, Anne Tyler, Jane Austen readalikes, or J.D. Salinger, so I was re-reading Salinger's novella Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, when I found this:
"Marriage partners are to serve each other.* Elevate, help, teach, strengthen each other, but above all, serve. Raise their children honorably, lovingly, and with detachment. A child is a guest in the house, to be loved and respected--never possessed, since he belongs to God."
That is Salinger's character Seymour, writing in a diary about his forthcoming marriage, and paraphrasing from something called "Vedanta." The next part is Seymour commenting:
"How wonderful, how sane, how beautifully difficult, and therefore true."
For whatever reason, I think those are some of the most beauitful lines in literature. But my questions are twofold: What is this Vedanta? Has anyone out there ever read it?** And, secondly, how does one do anything with detachment? I have thought a lot about detachment this week and find I don't know what to think.
We'll call today Philosophical Wednesday. How's about it? Please comment. I would very much like to listen.
*I read two other books on marriage this week; more on those later, so the subject was on my mind.
**Of course I know I could look it up. I want to know if anyone has READ it, and what they can tell me about it.