Posted by PSteven on March 28, 2001 at 00:43:10:
In Reply to: Letting off steam (kinda longish) posted by Jason on March 27, 2001 at 12:51:31:
(I didn't copy the other excellent comments by Jason & John just because of the length.)
In the final analysis, we are all human, and have our limits. The ideal "be-Christ-to-everyone" standard is a burden much too heavy to bear and downright unattainable. Fortunately, we are many. While I may be the wrong person to reach out to "Lester" long-term, somewhere out there someone else may be better for the job. I can not save the world; I can only touch those select people whom I have good opportunity AND ability AND temperament to affect positively. I also can not make up for the lack of willingness in others to do their part. I still can only do what I can do. Often I have to find the kindest way to back out of a situation that is unfruitful all around, both sapping my energy and time and stressing me out, and also either enabling or wounding someone else. I hope I don't sound callous, but I force myself to be realistic. If I stress and crack under the heaviness of a load that I am ill equipped to bear, I won't be any good for anybody.