Responselet 9643b
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1996 12:41:08 -0700
From: Chuck Cluff
Once again your comments touched me.
R.W. Emerson said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier....not because the thing itself has changed, but because our ability to do it has increased." ....or something like that.
This is a correct principle. It is also rife with failure. It teaches that to succeed, we must fail many, many times. And, as we succeed, that very success must by its nature push the envelope farther out.
Are there absolute limitations? I don't know. I thought there were. But some of those are being challenged even now. For example (and if I remember the numbers correctly), the general acceleration lethal limit of about 9 G's is now far surpassable by immersing the pilot in a solid cockpit vessel filled with a breatheable liquid (from the Navy deep diving program) and equipped with special instrumentation that allows close order control and communications without the use of the pilot's vocal chords. The new theoretical limit is over 100 G's! 22 G's is that point is where most combat planes give up their structural integrity. Tests have taken subjects to over 19 G's without undue stress. The mechanical limits of the equipment hinder current tests. New equiment is being built.
Now this is strictly technological, but is appliccable in principal to ANY human "limitation". Other non-technological examples subtending this concept tend to support the notion that we are only limited by our own beliefs.
I believe that failures (the ones that we torture ourselves over so much) are founded in the mistakes we make out of our human weakness. But these very failures are the seeds of our ultimate success, not the definition of our ultimate limitations.
I was reminded of this this morning when I discovered that we had failed to gather the necessary elements of a presentation my daughter Michelle was assigned to give in school today. I made two trips (after picking the cat up from the vet) to get the items to her, not knowing to this moment whether or not I got the last of them to her on time (y'see in California, parents aren't allowed to disrupt school classes with unscheduled visits). I know that she was ready to accept an "F" on the assignment. Clearly this was easier than being angry that her parents had let her down. And make no mistake, we had. And yet........, she was so appreciative of my efforts when I saw her briefly on the first of the two visits. With all the stresses and mixed priorities, it's hard not to feel like pond scum most of the time.
In the midst of my somewhat accute pain over this incident, I keep hearing that kindly, understanding voice, reminding me that Emerson was correct, and I am accountable for the progress I make and striving to improve, NOT for where I started from nor for the fact that I am full of weakneses.
I am further reminded of that terrible time for Joseph Smith, knowing his time was fulfilled and what was to come... agonizing over his family and the terrible price he would pay for his testimony... when the Lord consoled him with those Infinite words, "for I descended beneath them all..., know then that these things shall be for thy good..," etc.
I often feel arrogant expecting perfection from an imperfect arrangement, and when I know intellectually my God only expects my best efforts. Then I can only console myself with the words from a silly science fiction movie named "Starman", where the visitor observed,
Starman - "Do you want to know what I find most beautiful about you?"
Investigator- "Yes, what is it?"
Starman- "It is that you are at your best when things are their worst".
Roice, PLEASE continue, you bless us all by sharing. And the pain of the revelation will be "...but a small moment..." in the greater light of day and the more sure knowledge that you are not alone.
God bless,
Chuck