Thursday, February 7, 2013

Bit by Bit - Chapter 8, Part 4

Trey Smith

The man with two toes webbed together would weep if he tried to tear them apart; the man with a sixth finger on his hand would howl if he tried to gnaw it off. Of these two, one has more than the usual number, the other has less, but in worrying about it they are identical. Nowadays the benevolent men of the age lift up weary eyes, worrying over the ills of the world, while the men of no benevolence tear apart the original form of their inborn nature in their greed for eminence and wealth. Therefore I wonder if benevolence and righteousness are really part of man's true form? From the Three Dynasties on down, what a lot of fuss and hubbub they have made in the world!
~ Burton Watson translation ~
I have a lot of physical and mental challenges, but each of these challenges is a basic part of who I am. If someone came along and told me they had the magical power to remove my autism or chromosomal deficiency, I don't think I'd take them up on it. Why change what nature has bestowed to me?

To view the Index page for this series, go here.

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