RESTLESSNESS
Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
—Isaiah 17:12
5015 Most Restless Blind Man
James Holman, an English naval officer who lost his eyesight at the age of twenty-four, was the most restless blind man in all history. He kept on the move for forty years, touring France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Austria, Russia and Siberia. He then circumnavigated the globe, visited Africa, Brazil, the Holy Land and all countries bordering the Mediterranean.
He traveled alone and in awesome darkness. But he published several excellent travel books which are tributes to his shrewd insight and his astounding powers of observation. No blind man has ever shone in the particular field chosen by Holman. His life was an eternal demonstration of the power of human perseverance and energy over the most crushing affliction.
—Selected
5016 Sensitivity Training
Sixty high-ranking school officials representing major school districts throughout the U. S. paid $2,000 tuition each for a hush-hush 12 day Sensitivity Training session at the Hyatt House in Palo Alta, sponsored by Davis, MacConnel, Falston Inc. Photographs obtained by the reporters revealed that the educators “felt their way to self-knowledge by hipping (hitting each other’s hips); by rubbing backs together to feel of one another; by putting their foreheads together and feeling the back of each other’s heads; by stroking their partner’s eyelashes and exploring their noses. One picture showed about twelve of these educators bent over, hands on the floor, rear to rear, bumping their bottoms together! That, alas, is sensitivity training.” May God help us!
—Maranatha
5017 Read Sign To Kill Time
Hanging behind the check-out register in a Cincinnati candle shop is a large sign which reads:
“There is a very good reason for this sign being here and you standing in front of it reading it. It is here to keep you busy. We realize how annoying it can be just standing around doing nothing, trying to find someone to help you. So, we have this sign here for you to read, and hope that by the time you finish reading it one of our salespeople will have found you.
“P.S. If not, please read this sign again.”
5018 Back To Their Valley
In the story of Rasselas, written long ago by Dr. Samuel Johnson, Rasselas was a prince of Abyssinia who lived in a beautiful valley called Happiness. Even though the valley was beautiful and conditions favorable for those who longed for happiness, the prince became restless, and longed to go abroad in search of something different.
In spite of remonstrances by his friends Rasselas took his sister and set out in search of happiness which would fully satisfy his mind. Through many lands he wandered, visiting many cities everywhere inquiring for the happy people, but everywhere meeting the same spirit of restlessness and discontent. At last he said to his sister, “Let us go back to our own home in the valley of Happiness, for there is nothing better under the sun.”
—J. H. Bomberger
5019 Epigram On Restlessness
• In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a crafty king who was condemned in Hades to roll up a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled back.
—Herbert V. Prochnow
See also: Boredom ; Peace ; Recklessness ; Uncertainty, Spirit of ; Luke 21:25.