Home Up David's Stuff Links Thoughts Stuff Stuff Read 


                                    English 11 Essay Jan. 27,1950


         “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”
         But how quickly the color changes when we have leaped over.
         Why do people have a desire to be someone else? I suppose there is
    no one all-inclusive answer. It depends to a great extent upon the nature of
    each individual, but is there a commonality of cause at the core which finds
    expression in so many ways in so many people? Perhaps. Is it remedial?    
         Ask the myriads of individuals who, after having had that desire to be
    someone else, found the greatest pleasure in being who they are.


         Also, often-times frustration in attempting to attain a certain goal in life
    causes a person to despise his own rank and wish himself to be “Mr. So-
    and-so”, who had accomplished what the frustrated person had failed to
    attain to.
         Then there are the neurotic, or even psychotic individuals who blame
    the world for it’s failure to conform to their little kingdom of individuality, and
    they thus fail to see that it is they who are the culprits, having never learned
    to adjust themselves to a very imperfect society which in itself is nothing
    more than a congregation of other human beings.
         No wonder, then, he thinks being someone else is the answer to HIS
    problem. Surely there must be an adequate answer to it all.
         St.Paul, the mighty apostle-though a man- was speaking experientially
    when he declared, “The peace of God which passeth all understanding,
    shall keeps your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Then there IS a
    place of utter satisfaction. The reason St. Paul could speak so
    authoritatively was no secret, for his own testimony was, “I have learned in
    whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
         He meant simply that if God wanted him to be someone else He would
    not have made Paul who he was; however, since God did not makes Paul
    someone else, then the apostle had no desire to be another. The moral
    seems to be this: IF GOD IN HIS OMNISCIENCE, HAS CHOSEN US TO
    BE WHO WE ARE, THEN CAN WE NOT TRUST HIM FOR TIME AS WELL
    AS FOR ETERNITY?