Understanding is knowing all past and present facts while predicting the future. Predicting the future isn't really indicated here. It’s a little more like throwing a stone in the middle of a pond and watching the rippling effect. What happens now ripples into the future. Understanding means putting it all together into a coherent body.
Into the Woods is a musical with musical lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim and a storyline by James Lapine. In short, this quirky little musical combines the stories of Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and The Bean Stock, Cinderella, and many other fairytales. The story goes that a baker and his wife want a child and, to have this child, make dealings with a witch who casts a spell on them.
The rest of the story is unbelievable. However, one thread of wisdom can be contrived from all this witchcraft and nonsense. The barren couple never had to look outside themselves for what they wanted. In reality, no witch ever has the power to do anything to anyone unless that person gives one's own power away. In this case, understanding is the reachable ability to claim sovereignty and defy the odds without the intervention of unseemly characters.
The sky is the limit when it comes to possibilities. No one person can come along to limit the outcome unless, of course, that person's stronghold is allowed to give sway. In earlier times, a king ruled the land, and his people were his subjects governed by the king's laws. To this day, I'm fascinated by the dynamics of kingdoms during the late 17th century, when kings began to lose ground and subjects learned to rule themselves. Values were changing…not long after came the Scientific Revolution, and the call for equality among all classes of people came with the birth of intelligence. This took time, however, and we still see a division for many as to race and socio-economic standing. But today, it is possible to rise no matter where one is born.
Valued above all else is Humanitarianism. To divide and conquer is no longer the adage here—one people, one planet. Otherwise, we can all see where this is going to end up.
Comments