What would life be like if it were always easy? Would there be a reason to try to improve things? Would we not stagnate? H.G. Wells’ classic futuristic novel, The Time Machine, tells of a people known as the ‘Eloi’, who, long, long before, had brought nature under control, and had nothing to do but stretch out their hands to pick and eat. But the ease of life had robbed them of their will-power, made them soft and effeminate and vulnerable to other, more-aggressive life-forms.

     Without hardship to inspire and spur us on, we would not have developed as a species, but would probably still be living in caves, gnawing on raw meat and wearing animal skins. Because of the pains and difficulties of life, and our ability to think and reason, however, we have come this far, and will thereby go hence. Certainly, we are not out of the woods yet, and are still faced with many and great problems, mainly of our own making (and perhaps we always will be, as there seems to be an element of mischief-making in us); but, if we strive, and learn to cooperate for the common good, we shall almost surely find solutions to the problems. However, life must first be accepted for what it is, without pretending it is otherwise.

"All

sunshine

makes

a

desert."

(Arabic proverb).