Pratt: Old dogs can learn new tricks
Habits are handy when doing repetitive work. But the comfort of routine can also be disastrous when we face new challenges such as updates.Even our computers can’t deal with it.Learning new ways gets harder when we grow older.Examining a sudden slew of choices makes us uncomfortable simply because we have to go off that auto-pilot we have trusted for years.Life presents challenges at its various stages. Nor does it occur to us that stress is a natural by-product of change, whether for good or for ill.We have a tendency to get stuck in certain concepts about life. We resist examining consequences. When it becomes obvious that we must change, the first response is predictably anger, fueled by fear.It seems a lot of fear is happening within today’s fast-moving information age. And that fear takes multiple forms, affecting health, attitude and ability to cope.Shortly after I began writing this column on a different computer and somewhat new program, the essential “thought” I planned to pursue took an entirely different form. Perhaps I longed for escape as I noted the time. Iwas already a bit late to prepare a typically later lunch.But no problem, it was a “warm-over” plus a ready-made bag salad. No longer quite so tied to the clock, we have our own version here of doing what we must do. There’s a certain freedom, and a few hazards involved.Isn’t that the true definition of liberty?But with freedom comes responsibility. Otherwise, the concept of doing (or saying) whatever is on your mind can also bring chaos in our current political climate.News we never want to hear: a school shooting at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, Tenn. By the time this is published, we will know more details of the tragedy – the who, how and why along with pontificating frompoliticians about the need to make guns illegal.Unfortunately, this fault-filled “solution” guarantees only criminals will own weapons of defense against the lawless element.The ancient power struggle continues. Evil is rooted in jealousy, retribution and hatred of one human or group of humans for another.Struggle between good and evil begins early in life. Even as young children, we resist obeying our parents. They do hold an enormous influence over us, as do our peers, schools and other groups. But bottomline, life is a struggle, often becoming an individual and even group spiritual war between good and evil.While only obedience and trust in God strengthen us for the battle ahead,we see growing tolerance for evil disguised as a “good” in today’s “liberated” from responsibility society.It appears we are well on the way to reflecting the ancient biblical story ofSodom and Gomorrah, where anything that feels good is acceptable, Uncle Abram asks God to spare his nephew Lot and family, enticed by the excitement of the city. Lot’s wife disobeyed God, losing safe passage by turning to look back longingly at the city. Thus, on the cusp of safety, she turned into a pillar of salt, rather than a pillar of society.The question is: What will America choose?
Beth Pratt retired as religion editor from the Avalanche-Journal after 25 years. You can email her at beth.pratt@cheerful.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Pratt: Old dogs can learn new tricks
