After having finished Chaim Potok's book My Name is Asher Lev, I have come to some conclusions. This book is about an artist, and the pain that his art causes his community. While this node is not strictly about this book, I feel you must know at least that to understand why I am writing this.

This book claims that the world is not a pretty place. I cannot believe that is true. There is much pain and suffering in the world, indeed, you would be foolish to deny that, but I don't think that makes the world ugly. In fact, I think the pain and suffering are so bad precisely because the world is full of so much love and beauty.

You may think I am mad for saying this, but as I can see, there are two types of people in regard to my above claim. The first type of person sees the love and beauty and denies the reality of it. I think this type of person is the most common. Indeed, I think these people cause much of the suffering

The second type of person sees it, and opens him or herself up to it. This person basks in the love and beauty and for this reason is almost never happy. Being able to see the love and beauty makes it far too hard to live in the world of the first type of person. The first type damps the love and beauty in order to make the world more livable for themselves. They see the second type and cannot abide them, just as they cannot abide the natural beauty of the world around them.

Why would anyone want to live as the second type if all that comes from it is pain? I have not completely answered that to myself yet. I am too trusting. I give myself to people much too easily. People don't see why I am doing it, or the profundity of what I am doing. People hurt me. People hurt you too; I am sure of it. This is why people see so much pain.

But the pain is of our creation. Not necessarily your creation, although you in particular helped bring it into being. It is a collective creation of all of us. I consider myself to be in the second type, and yet I am a part of those who create the pain. My own actions in this are anathema to me, but being human, I cannot help doing them from time to time. The love and beauty are simply too much for anyone to handle perfectly

I live the way I do because I have to. It is in my nature to act this way. I cannot be distrusting. I cannot help but let people see what is inside me. I invite all of you to do the same. I can't guarentee that it won't hurt because it will. It hurts me daily. But every person that opens their eyes and excepts the beauty that is all around is a step out of the muck that we are in.

The world is there in all of its splendor, waiting for you to notice it. Don't pass it up.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope one day you will join us. And the world will live as one."
-John Lennon

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