Theos-Talk Archives (January 1999 Message tl00056)

In a message dated 12/21/98 12:01:20 AM Eastern Standard Time, theos-
l@list.vnet.net writes:

<< We had to learn as kids that shrapnel should not be picked up - it is
 often hot enough to burn you badly - I have even seen it glowing red in
 the street - we had dogfights overhead where we lived, and often saw
 planes spiralling down into the sea. >>

It's always so interesting to me how these back-and-forth discussions often
start out in the abstract and lead toward personal revelation.  It confirms my
theory that much of our ideas and theories about life are rooted in personal
experience, even those we think of as most abstract.  I'm sure this is true of
myself and I can see it in others too.  For example, much of Alan's sympathy
toward the Iraqis is likely rooted in his own experience of WWII.  And
sometimes our blindnesses are rooted in *lack* of experience - we blithely
traipse along with a pet theory about something, until real-life experience
blows it out of the water and we are forced to re-think things.  It's happened
to me...
Christine