"You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever." -- Psalm 45:2
Self-esteem is a sometime thing.
Self-worth a pigsty of indulgence.
Looking out for Number One can get as boring and sickening as picking your nose; even the perception of your own dignity is only partially satisfying. It has its limits.
In human experience we learn to avoid using absolute words. It is called becoming "mature." For others, it is "cynicism." We learn to expect disappointment, disillusionment, disenfranchisement, dysfunction and disorganization.
That is why we have "Happy hour" at The Golden Bull.
You there, crying in your pretzels; you there, sogging up the potato chips, do you understand the word, excellence?
Yes, Eliphaz,* you jerk! I understand -- It's one of those words used by those sycophant creeps on some other planet.
Sorry. Wrong name. Wrong guy. Wrong planet. Look at you there, mingling tears with your beer. Tears and foam dribbling from the corners of your mouth. Feels great, huh?
On a sweaty day in July, a cold one goes down like sensuous silk. Sweat in your beer. Now that's the way to go.
But tears?
No, man. It doesn't feel great. Ain't nobody should cry in their pretzels all night.
Wanna hear what this is like set to music? Behold! Niel Diamond.
Well then, let me tell you of the grace of God. As you think about it, it fills your cognition with gratitude. It anoints your lips like nothing else could. Better than a cold one on a blistering day. It lasts. Instead of glazing your eyes and fuzzing your brain, it makes you feel excellent forever!
Forever is an absolute word. Forever is a long time. The longest. You can't get any longer than forever. Forever lasts, and lasts, and lasts, and .. .
-- PDM
*Eliphaz -- the friend that Job would like to unfriend. (Job 2:11)
