In the Name of the Best Within Us

As we head out into the unknown, I feel I have to share some of my thoughts now, especially since at any time we could be cut off from each other.

In short, this group of people (with very, very few exceptions) is simply the finest group of human beings I have ever known. And I include in this group several people with whom I have often violently disagreed. I include them because I believe they tried their level best to understand this mess as much as the rest of us. And I can't thank you enough, Ed Yourdon and the rest of you, to allow me to learn from you, share with you, laugh with you, and cry with you, if just for these few short months of my active participation.

You know, to me, this really was never a doomer versus polly thing. What this was, was an issue of who used his or her mind, was honest, and tried to refrain from personal attacks. And kindness and compassion would be the icing on the cake. Well, from what I've seen at this forum, these things were simply legion. And since these traits set humans apart from the other creatures, you could say we simply showed our humanity. And we did it relentlessly.

In this sense, absolutely no matter how it turns out, we are the victors. Victors over what? Victors over our our greatest enemies in this issue: sloth and indifference. I talk not just of others' here, but of our own tendencies in this regard.

We are the victors because we worked and fought to try to overcome our doubts and fears.

We are the victors because we worked and fought to overcome ridicule and ostracism.

And we are the victors because we worked and fought to keep our hopes and our loved ones' hopes alive.

And don't ever, ever forget this. If nothing happens, or if it all goes down, we can walk tall. Because whether you personally believe it was with God's help or not, we were the ones who reached down as deep as a human being could possibly go, and never gave sloth or indifference even a whisper of a chance.

And we did it in the name of the best within us.

I love you all,

-- eve (123@4567.com), December 31, 1999

Answers

"In the Name of the Best Within Us."

Call it like it is! His name is J E S U S !!!!!!

-- Vernon Hale (create@premiernet.net), December 31, 1999.

Thank you, eve and Vernon. I feel fortunate to read the words of wisdom, doomer and polly alike, on this forum. It is a pleasure to know folks still think. Love ya all!!

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), December 31, 1999.

Dearest Eve,

If this forum were to die today, I pray your words above be the last any of us ever read.

How precious! How Divine! On bended knee I thank thee!

Best To ALL,

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), December 31, 1999.

I'm new here but well said Eve.

-- Jadin Green (Jadin_2000@yahoo.com), December 31, 1999.

STanding ovation from My family--looking at you. Excellent EVE.

Its Doomers like you that I want to hang with! :-)

-- d......... (dciinc@aol.com), December 31, 1999.

There have been many words of wisdom here on the Board, but this quickly brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Eve, for so eloquently speaking my own heart, as well... Your message is definately a "keeper..."

Seldom have I read words of tribute to the spirit of good people that surpass those you're written here.

When someone asked me if I was 'Eve' in the chat room, I had no idea who you were. There IS only one Eve, methinks...

And now that I know, I'll just be Evaign... and aspire to be as eloquent as you...

-- Evaign... formerly known as Evie... (markay@umr.edu), December 31, 1999.

Gosh... thanks.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), December 31, 1999.

Bingo 1, Evaign, d, Jadin Green, Michael,

Wow! I really didn't expect such beautiful, supportive responses! Especially Bingo 1 and Evaign (who actually changed her name for me!!). Thank you so very much.

And talk about emotion -- maybe it was partly from all the pent up stress -- I wept openly as I was writing it. And more as I read your replies.

Vernon,

When I mentioned God, I assumed Christians and other religions would interpret this in accordance with their respective faiths. I tried to avoid getting more specific, as my post would have been much longer, and I would have been afraid of inadvertently excluding a faith. But I appreciate your response.

-- eve (123@4567.com), December 31, 1999.

Ken,

You're very welcome!

-- eve (123@4567.com), January 01, 2000.