Poems of Possibility

 Every once in a while, I come across an artist that just moves me. When they turn out to be a writer that's super good, I get a little jealous. They show just how mundane my own writing is.  And I am better for this realization.

The entire United States of America was introduced to Amanda Gorman at Joe Biden's inauguration. Her poem was so moving and emotional and inspiring.  I am obviously not a religious person, but this is what invocations should be like. 

Here is the text of the poem for those who didn't see it or want to read it: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/amberjamieson/amanda-gorman-biden-inauguration-poem

Here is the video:

I tear up every time I hear this poem. All invocations should be poems.

Let love be our legacy, if only we are brave enough to be it.

Questing For Knowledge

We Humanists know that good moral reasoning requires accurate knowledge of the problems we are attempting to solve. Yet, despite our best efforts, our knowledge will always be lacking. Our knowledge of the universe will probably never be complete. Our knowledge of human nature will also probably never be complete. But that doesn’t matter.  To live productively we must learn how to balance our quest for knowledge against the needs of the present.  Which is why one of my favorite quotes is:

”The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right.” - Henry David Thoreau.

The quest for knowledge is not only fun, it’s necessary to good moral reasoning. But at some point you have to decide to do the best you can with the knowledge you have at your disposal now. Because if you chose to wait until your knowledge is complete, you will be waiting a very long time and may just find that you will have wasted the present.