■

40

. . FEBRUARY 1982 I had lifted it to pry up the lid of the cesspool, but for months the old cedar post has remained -propped against the fence by the driveway Vibrations set up by the wind, an occasional piece of heavy farm machinery or the more regular rumblings of the school buses along the roadway out front, and probably even the hoofbeats of the colts in the next door farmyard — |'the natural and machine-induced

particular reason than the instinctive inventory one takes of changed surroundings And there they were, the pole and fence; two inanimates math’inti mate in their weatherbeaten age by an outside force While they are individually commonplace in a rural setting. I found the togetherness of. the crinkled post and the pitted fencing pleasing to behold. Why? The play of light and shadow, texture, juxtaposition of straight and curved

Country Note

ground tremors had., over (he months, set a rusty wire strand of the fence against the end o| the pole, sawing a notch in the weathered wood The other day. with the snow finally all melted, I was giving the property a cursory- going-over, for no

lines, angles ani - all are physiji

ties of beatify

more To me. beSt .

manifestation of truth. The laws of nature become recognizable, the intangi-

ble. tangible

l/ive, the other part of life's giVat trinity, includes

rp

both truth and beauty. Love of life, for instance, is a state of mind brought on by the perception of beauty and a sense of comfort is the subconscious reality of orderliness, which is truth. When it comes to human love, especially our loved > ones. the. greatly trinity

become personified.

Just as there are many facets of beauty, so love has its ingredients, ho one of which, despite its individual ardor, can approach the grandeur of the whole. Sex. for example, is as. far from crucial as inconsequentia} in love. That is why so many people either never comprehend or, once grasped, lose sight of the reality that love and sex are not synonymous* He or she who doesn't understand this is as insensible as one who. professing to love good food, gorges on a stick of butter or a howl of sweet batter

No. love is synergistic.

Its sum total effect is much greater than the stimulation of its parts. It springs eternally because it derives from the wellspr-

ings of truth and beauty. As an intangible, love is

man’/s greatest attribute and the characteristic that most distinguishes us from the lower animals, which have mates bfft not loved ones, who procreate out of instinct but cannot love

Being human manifestations, love and truth and beauty may be enhanced and refined (as evidenced by the great art works and mathematical theories of man). Indeed, there cultivation is required if perception is to become, understariding. And like the dlher aspects of life which are not instinctive, proper appreciation (if not understanding) of the great trinity is learned and must be practiced (if not nurtured). lest it be forgotten or. worse, atrophied. *

I do profess to know the secrets of the universe, but I do have the- feeling that fate has dealt me the ability to see (if not understand) truth and beauty, and that-' I have been granted one great love in my life, as if to compensate for feelings of inadequacy and the reality of short-

comings.

communicate emotion while feeling it so intense-

ly-

f am not alone. Maybe that is why Valentines are (he oldest form of greeting cards. You undoubtedly have feelings you cannot show. If we expressed our love by actually talking about it, maybe.we humans t could eventually see that

As you can see, my at- /loveisasrefreshinglyetertempts to explain the great nal as the progression of trinity, to define love, the'seasons, And perceive truth, beauty, is a rather the truth and beauty in the cold exercise. Equally universe and in our own litstrange is the inahility to tie niche. . J.H..A-.

editorial

Representation Congressman Bill Hughes took some heat during a recent town meeting when the subjeet turned to the tax break Members of Congress receive via an I-RS interpretation providing a $75 per day deduction for on the job

expenses even when Congress isn’t in session because the ability to know and legislators aren’t in Washington. truth, and beauty is not

In agreeing that this js a little niuch, our congressman nevertheless opined: “Members of Congress shouldn't fare any better or worse from a tax standpoint than the ordinary businessman whp must travel as part of his

work.’’

Frankly, the comparison escapes us. While we realize the object of business is to make money, we hope tnat definitely isn’t the case with our elected representatives. Besides, for a salary of $60,000-plus (not to mention wonderful fringe benefits), we expect exceptional representation, not business as usual. Just DeseHs The Lower Cape May Regional Board of Education has agreed to spend $600 for a supper to honor National Honor Society members and their parents this spring. In discussing the idea, it was indicated students who excel academically deserve equal time with those whose athletic prowess is recognized. While it is wonderful to learn a board of education is showing concern for exceptional scholars,' that the decision to treat good scholars akin to good athletes makes news is a

sad commentary.

Unfortunately, in our play-oriented world, it is the superb athlete, not the great scholar who regularly grabs headlines. While there’s a Sports Page, mpst newspapers don’t even have a section for academics,.Maybe it’s time all of us — students, parents, teachers, school boards, and newspaper people - come to

grips with priorities.

’ ~ "T

irumv a i there\

reader's forum

We Conserve, They Increase

by ll.R.P. The Atlantic City Electric Co. is trying to either rid the state of senior citizens and poor folks, or run us out of our country. I have cut back on my use of electric, as far as possi-

ble.

I have plastic oyer my living^dom door. 1 keep my spare-room door closed, and me heat is turned .ill the way down. I keep the other rooms set at 55* alltught and 60' during the day. I live on one Social Security check and a small pension check. I am not living — I am existing. My home is up for sale, and I will be glad when,I can sell. ■ ■ J I even wash my clothes in cold water and hang them outside.

I also

I have a wood stove in my family-room, pnd I use a kerosene stove. Last year I used 4,234 Kwhrs. in January. This year I used 3,002 Kwhrs in January — and it cost me more. I have cut back as far as I can, and my bill is still far too high. And I know there are lots worse off than I am. We need someone to go to bat for us, and bring down the costs of the Electric, Gas and Oil companies. Our new governor and legislators have all taken big raises in salaries, when we have so many out of work', people on fixed incomes and poor people. Our taxes are too high also. Please, have people let you know how they feel. H.R.P.. a resident of Cape May Court House, wrote this letter two weeks age.

Nuclear Power Isn’t Worth It

CAPr MAY

COUNT V

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John II. Andrus II William J. Adams Bonnie Reins Darrell Kopp

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by R. Leslie Chrlsmer Although they are unable to do so, there is reason to believe that the Reagan Administration, the IndustrialMilitary Complex, the Pentagon. The Nuclear Power Advocates', the CIA and the FBI wouldlike to label as Pacifist or Subversive anjl un-American or Impractical Indealist or Tool of Russia, the prominent citizen who

,recent said;

/ do not believe that nuclear power is worth it (/ It creates radiation. Then you might ask why do 1 have nuclear-powered ships? That's a necessary evil. I would sink them dll. I'm not pro'ud of the part J played In it. I did it because It was necessary for the safety of this country. That's wh^J'm such a great exponent of stopping this whols nonsense of war... I think It would be the finest fhlng in the world for the President of thf United States to initiate immediately another disarmament conference...! think this is a very propitious time, when military expenses are eating up so much money, and it's completely unproductive, and using so much of the people's taxes...1 thlnh we are spending too much. I thlnh we should be more {elective in our spending. ' For example, take ihe-number of nuclear submarines. I see no reason why we have just as many as the Russians do . What's the dl//erence whether we have 100 nuclear submarines or 200?...You can slnh everything on the oceans several times over with the number we have and so can they. That's the point I'm making. THE PROMINENT — AND PATRIOTIC - CITIZEN who made those statements was Adm. Hyman G. Kickover, father of our nuclear navy. A brief summary »- a very brief one — of what he said recently to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress was broadcast over some tv stations and published in some

newspapers

The Senate has approved the striking of a gold medal in honor of Adm. Rickover, who is retired at 82. A better

honor for him — and our country — would be to follow his advice. And the Senate will, if enough ordinary citizens — who are sensible, patriotic, and morally courageous as Adm. Rickover — insist that it do so. As that forthright preacher, Harry Emergson Fosdick, observed: "To be great leaders, there must be great •

followers too.’

R. Leslie Chrlsmer. a retired pharmacist and newspaperman, lives in Cape May.

The New Federalism