Those of you who read these rantings of mine might sometimes think I do not like people: nothing could be further from the truth. I do have a lot of anger. People frustrate the hell out of me sometimes. But this is my own fault, I am a throw back in time and not too civilized I fear. I am one of those Neanderthal types who doesn't mind punching a man in the nose for insulting his wife. I never get the chance, she decks them long before I can react (she is much better trained in martial skills than I), but the point is that I would, if she didn't beat me to it. I sometimes think that I would have been more comfortable being born several hundred years ago. Then the realities of indoor plumbing (with it's attendant two-ply quilted softness) come flooding in and I remember such things that were then common, such as pestilence, famine, ignorance, and intolerance masquerading as righteousness. Then I am thankful for my clean bathroom, full refrigerator, and my wife's right cross which tends to tone down the holier than thou types. Some folks think people are the worst virus put on this planet: God's only error. These are usually members of PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals) and sometimes I am tempted to agree with them, but not for long. I can not argue that we humans are not violent and selfish as a species, we are, but so are all the other animals in the world. We are also a species which has given the world Ruebens, Rembrandt, Michelangelo; Oppenheimer, Einstein, Hawkins; Shakespeare, Ghibran, Whitman; Gandhi, Mohammed, Jesus. Teachings, writings, knowledge, and beauty which has not only enriched the lives of many persons, but which also is benefitting plants and animals as well. A dearly loved cousin of mine is a tree hugging animal rights activist. She uses no animal products at all for any reason. I salute her devotion to her convictions and do not say that she is wrong. I argue only that she would not have this luxury of choice if her sensibilities had not been piqued and honed by the above individuals, her life not made easier by them. It is difficult to desire to enrich the lives of animals if you are eking out a living which might require eating one of them. Obviously, we humans have our faults and problems. There are some who can only be described as evil. I sometimes become single minded in my pursuit of evil and forget about the angels. For this I humbly appologize; to the angels, I say thanks. It is easy to rave about the ills of our society, or to brag about the great names in history. People like Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Lord Byron, surely deserve our praise. But there are others too, others much more important, both to me and to you as well. These are the men and women who get up every day and go to a thankless job to feed their kids. There are the fathers who teach their children how to enjoy life; the mothers who love unconditionally; the brother or sister who kicks you in the ass after you have wallowed in self pity for too long to be healthy; the friend who doesn't mind your calling at all hours of the day or night if you need someone to talk with; the spouse who holds you when your world crumbles; the stranger who sends you her phone number and tells you to call her because she knows you are in pain and wants to help you heal. We expect our family and friends to do these things for us, we do the same for them. Often, we forget to say thankyou; we forget that these efforts are heroic because we see them often and they seem common. It is this fact of heroic compassion, unasked for aid, this giving with no expectation of return seeming common, which gives me my most hope for the future of mankind. It is knowing these silent heroes, as all of us do, that causes me to strive to be worthy of them. I often fail, but I will continue to try. They deserve no less. Besides, if I don't try to be the best I can be, my wife will kick my ass. She can do it too. ©Michael West