Enemy of enemies … ( 04 / 20 / 2012 )
Enemy of enemies … ( 04 / 20 / 2012 )
123 years ago today , a beautiful baby boy came into the world … Like most other babies , his early days were full of joy and wonder . And as he grew older , like most other children , his days were filled with hope — He wondered about his future , and he wondered whether his dreams would become his reality . And as he grew older , like many children his age , this particular young boy reveled in the beauty of nature , played happily with his friends , and even sang in his church choir .
When he was 10 , however , the tragic death of his younger brother affected him severely . He became argumentative and morose , and instead of being treated with gentle Kindness , he was instead frequently blasted by his parents ( primarily his father ) with criticism and denigration . His downward spiral picked up speed when his dream of becoming an artist was set back by his parents ’ refusal to allow him to study that craft — instead sending him to a technical school . Here , he was miserable and he performed poorly on purpose , in the hopes that his father would see the futility of that particular schooling and , in his own words , “ would finally let me devote myself to my dream .”
And he was not without artistic talent . Indeed , the attached picture on the page facing is one of his many fine works — works that show an appreciation for the Beauty of life ; an appreciation that can only come from a heart that knows what it is to Love .
Alas , his dream did not materialize for our young hero … Indeed , his plummet continued , as he was repeatedly rejected by art schools . His mother then died at the young age of 47 , and he finally ended up homeless and alone . At this point , his rebellion turned more extreme — against not only his parents but apparently against humanity itself , a degeneration which eventually landed him in the throes of his country ’ s growing trend of radical political nationalism . The rest , as they say , is history … His name was Adolf Hitler .
Now I ’ m not going to sit here and attempt to justify the choices Hitler made in his later years . I think every sentient being with a functioning conscience is aware that many of Adolf ’ s adult decisions redefined repugnance . What I will do , however , is remind all of you that , while an act or two of Kindness probably would not have stopped him from murdering millions once the gas chambers commenced their cruel reapings , an act or two of courageous Kindness shown to him a few years earlier could very well have done just that …
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