"In this world of corruption there is a real danger that the earnest Christian may overreact in his resistance to evil and become a victim of the religious occupational disease, cynicism. The constant need to go counter to popular trends may easily develop in hime a sour habit of faultfinding and turn him into s sulky critic of other men's matters, without charity and without love.
What makes this cynical spirit particularly dangerous is that the cynic is usually right.
His analyses are accurate, his judgement sound. He can prove he is right in his moral views; yet for that… he is wrong, frightfully, pathetically wrong. But because he is right, he never suspects how tragically wrong he is…."
A.W. Tozer
I had not been able to articulate specifically what was bothering me about so many things written and reactions observed this year until I ran across this reflection, penned in the 1950's. It echoes Nietzche's admonition:
"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster…for when you gaze long into the abyss the abyss gazes also into you."
For all that is wrong with the world it is still in our best interest and in the best interest of all those around us that we strive to remain gentle and soft, that we cultivate joy and mercy, that we do not harden ourselves. Those are not things that the world does to us, much as we try to lay the blame there. Those are things we do ourselves when our focus and motives are faulty.
This month, like so many late summers before, I am filling myself up with inspirational reading to get fired up for this new school year. It looks different for many of us, whether because we find ourselves with unexpected learning scenarios or without students in this season of life. All those situations come with opportunities though. If we are teaching others then we certainly have no time to brood. If we are in newly empty nest we have a likely long awaited gift of time and freedom to pursue our own projects. There is always something right in our laps or under our noses that would benefit from our attention.
What about this coming autumn most excites you? What is inspiring you right now? Who or what could use your attention?
Some places that fill me up:
Education, home, order, fitness, clean food, art. I am not suggesting we make ourselves completely ignorant of the problems of the world. (I'd argue that is nigh on impossible, however.) I am suggesting that this is ultimately how they are fixed: one person, one home, one act of gentle beauty at a time.
Starry Sky Journal 
Thank you!