What Keeps Us Sane?

With the many silly things that happen in this world and in life, what keeps us sane? I ask this because apparently many have gone berserk mentally. They look all right but on further scrutiny you'd see they're all wrong. Everything's going wrong and yet they look okay, but when everything's okay they start looking wrong. Everything's and everyone's going quietly insane, and their insanity is hidden in sophisticated fashions or absorption in careers, whatever they are. And it's a great relief to sometimes find some folks who are still thinking right and maturely broad minded.

And these "some folks" are hard to find. They are mostly in some dimly lit corner just quietly sitting and listening and watching "great performers" do their thing and achieve great things and even save the world. I always want to be with these folks but they don't seem to want to pickup the cudgels and lead us who want to keep our sanities intact. They just want to watch silly people act sane. And I guess the only way to stay normal is to stick with these folks--that answers, what keeps us sane.

But no. These folks tell me, the only sure way to stay sane is to sit quietly in a corner and watch the performers. That way, you see where they are and keep yourself separated mentally from them--miles away. The danger is when you fail to see where they are, because that would mean either of two things--that you have joined their crowd or you've formed your own. As long as you see them and keep distance, you're safe. That's what keeps us sane in this mad, cruel world that looks anything but that. You see, this world looks promising and seems to have the possibility of getting better. You only get to see the world as it really is when you begin to get out of its arena and sit quietly in the sidelights and watch the performers. Sit with the quiet sane folks. 

Or else, get victimized by its cruelty. But many people who daily suffer the grinding cruelty of the world have their eyes remained blinded and unseeing. They get badly beaten black and blue and yet you see them smile and pretend to be okay and go back to get beaten some more. Unbelievable. And they sometimes wonder why you aren't wallowing with them in the quagmire of insanity. That quagmire can appear as an oasis in a desert of desperation. But keeping away from it is what makes us sane--the few minority of us. And to keep having a sharp eye to discern that mud pool, you have to keep merely sitting in a quiet, dark corner where no one notices you and from there observe how the foolish performers do their thing. That's what keeps us sane says the sane folks that form the meager minority.

You know, it's near to impossible keeping yourself from the limelight and avoid struggling with the performers for stage supremacy. Sometimes, avoiding makes you lose out on getting the better things in life. You will be prejudiced against and suffer the ire of the performers and their sponsors. You live marginally. But I say, better that than lose your sanity with them. What profit will you gain if you grab their stage for yourself and then be like them? Yeah, you get the booty but that will later be the poison that will kill your sanity. Keep out of that booty. Avoid their meat. That's what keeps us sane.

The best result of education is to be able to see the wisdom in sitting quietly in a corner and retaining your sanity. That is godliness.