Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Sources of Strength"

One of my sources of strength is the rare time when I come across a piece of non-commercial writing that is very good, such as the vignette "breakdown" by Dave Gordon. This guy had everything that goes into good writing: characterization, setting, suspense and a surprise ending. It was so good, I want permission to post it on my site. The only thing I have done that comes close is "The New Covenant." Great job, Mr. Gordon. I envy your style!

Another source of my strength is the fact that you and I, all of us, are slowly making a difference. The more we write, the more word spreads and the faster things change. Change occurs slowly, and appears to come even slower, because most change is deliberately concealed until the last second before it explodes open the scene. Mahatma Gandhi explained this phenomenon well just after he and his followers broke the British empire's salt monopoly. He observed, "First they ignore you, then they curse you, then they fight you, then you win." The people who profit from preventing change-the parasites of society who have managed to rig the system to their benefit-furiously deny, deceive and conceal in order to discourage civil activists from continuing to act for change. Just like Sonny Bush did for dingy Rumsfeld up to the last second before Congress changed. Then, suddenly, without any notice, Rumsfeld vanished and was quietly replaced with general no-neck.

My primary source of strength though, is much more than just knowing that progress is being made. She is my wife, who is still out there taking care of business and family even after all these years.