My Inner Monster #3

I just watched the documentary screened on Netflix, Ordinary Men, featuring Ben Ferencz and the hundreds of German men, ages 30-45, who were drafted into the Nazi police force to kill Jews. I had always thought that they were coerced into doing what they did, but this documentary revealed that they could choose not to shoot the men, women, and children forced into the trenches they had dug. Only a few men refused the duty and were dismissed as cowards by their commanders. That’s all! At the end of the film, Ben Ferencz, now 100 years old, said, “The men who refused to shoot were called "monsters,” and then cited some American atrocities such as Hiroshima, Maylei, and other such incidents, and added, “We all have a monster in us.”

I agree with Ferencz and think some of us have monsters who were only slightly nurtured, but also have heartful 'angels' who were well nurtured and only earned the title of ‘jerks.’ In contrast, others had such huge monsters that nearly crowded out their angels (killed their hearts). I believe we came into the world with different-sized monsters, and perhaps all, of the crowding came from outside our early childhood and our culture.

My young responder reminded me that the German men probably thought that they were doing something good and honorable and contributing to the good of their country. That is a good response and reminds me that St. Thomas Aquinas said that we always choose 'good' - or what we think is good.

As an example of having my monster nurtured and my angel neglected: When I was eight years old in l941, right after the beginning of WWII, I played war with my young friends, and it was not cowboys and Indians, which was bad enough, but playing Americans vs. “Japs and Krauts.” At that time, I had very curly dark hair, and my older brothers teased me, hey ‘ni---er’ wool.’ They were generally rather ‘good guys’ – just ignorant. They didn’t have their internal angels as well-nurtured as needed, either.

So, my friend, I hope you nurture your angel today, and before you do anything, examine whether or not it is Life-Giving - brings life, love, hope, and joy into you and others. And often, be aware of how you nurture your monster and neglect your health. Your Sage (wannabe) by the Sea.

Nurture your heart (angel), and don’t eat the menu.