Antonio Doukas

02/10/08

Senior Health M & W

“Consider the Lilies of the Field”

The speech we read in class by Anna Quindlen struck me as especially beautiful

and thought-provoking. It had many places to it which the words were beautifully crafted

to pick even the hardest brain. Anyone who takes this work seriously, understands what

she is trying to convey and takes something to heart, no matter how small. I for one have

come to a self-actualization but because it is not complete, and won't be until I die, I was

able to appreciate the speech all that much more. As a Jehovah's Witness my God,

Jehovah, is first in my life before all else; thus, what stood out to me the most was the

indirect quote written above from the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus Christ found in the

Bible book of Matthew.

In Matthew 6:28-30 of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, it states,

“Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin; but I say

to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If, now, God thus clothes the

vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather

clothe you, you with little faith?” So the meaning conveyed by Quindlen's indirect quote was

not merely to envision a flower, but to understand that you are cared for and you have no

need to be worrisome. She was trying to personify the idea of being carefree.

The example in the Sermon on the Mount was told to dispel people's anxiousness

so they would never say “‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to put

on?’” I do not know whether Anna intended all this meaning behind the quote or even if

she is Christian, Buddhist, or even an atheist! But I do know that when she took the quote

she wanted to convey a similar message that Jesus did, in what is known as “the best

speech ever given”.

Jesus said it with the intent of people praying to God, so that he could give those

deserving, sustenance and covering, and with that in mind they had no need to have

anxiety over anything. In the same line of thought, Quindlen wanted to convey her

feelings of being worry free. She means that we should let go of whatever we can in our

lives and be free of the mundane things of life and the vices that keep us shackled to pain

and fear.

Through the use of this quote and throughout the speech, Anna Quindlen wanted

to tell the listener, or in our case, reader, to live free. She tells us that we need to not

worry about life and to embrace what we are given. She pleads that we live each day to

the full and not take advantage of anything, no matter how small or big. She prays that

we live as if we were terminally ill, making sure that if we die in the next moment we

won't have regrets. She begs that we hear her strained plea because so few have a willing

ear to lend and listen and even fewer have the initiative to carry forth with what they hear.

Judge me not by my age for it is just a number. Although I am young and have a

long road of maturity ahead of me, I have been through things that no human should even

fathom yet I am here, vibrant and with a passion for and purpose in life. I have witnessed

birth & death, joy & sorrow, inner peace & inner war, all of which, although unpleasant

experiences, I wouldn't take back for the world, for they made me who I am. I no longer

worry about my needs for they all come and I am as splendidly cared for as a lily.