Saturday, March 31, 2012

FULLY PRESENT

Do you remember the story of Jeremy Bentham of London, England? He
died in 1832 and left his estate to University College London. But
he also stipulated that his body be embalmed, dressed up and brought
in to preside over the annual meeting of university administrators.
His preserved body is still there today, displayed in a glass
cabinet. And it is apparently still wheeled into the annual
meetings. For years, the secretary of the board added to the minutes
of each session, "Jeremy Bentham, present but not voting."

I've KNOWN people like that -- present but not voting. Too often, I
am one of them. These people are alive, but they are not really
living. As Benjamin Franklin may have put it, they died around 25
but won't be buried until they are 75. They live without passion.
They seem to have forgotten what thrill and wonder life can hold.
They get through each day, but seldom experience anything like deep
joy. They're alive, but barely.
(By Steve Goodier www.LifeSupportSystem.com)

Some people make no contribution. They say they want to be neutral. They say they dont want to take sides, or to get involved. They are like Jeremy Bentham, a corpse just hanging around. Wake up and get involved!

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