Stories of Kindness from Around the World

George Carlin's Message


--by Steve R., posted Jun 25, 2008
I was deeply touched by the wise, spiritually profound, and ironically humorous perspectives on life often shared by George Carlin.  He apparently wrote this message below shortly after his wife had died. Now, George has passed and we are left with only the memories of his beautiful and funny thoughts.    If you're so moved I hope you will pass this message on as a way of honoring the insights and legacy of a wise man who brought great laughter to our world.  Thank you for the laughter, love and joy you brought into my life George.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but

Less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but Learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
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Readers Comments

BedBug wrote: Ummm, all i can say is, scrolling through the comments, i don't feel "kindness" here right now. When posting we need to remember what we have come to this site for, i think.

If someone has posted erroneously, there are kind ways to point that out. And if we disagree, sometimes it's just as well to disagree with our silence.

I'm just sayin'.
Sassy wrote: Wow! Not exactly what I would expect to hear from George. It just goes to show you shouldn't judge people you really don't know. That was inspiring...
juan wrote: personally- it doesnt really matter as to who the author is... its the reality of the message that counts..

most people see what they WANT to see.. but not what they NEED to see...
Ellen wrote: I never believed he wrote "paradox". I don't think he could've had time to think that beautiful and truthful text, he was too busy saying bad words....
liz wrote: Sorry, but this wasn't written by George Carlin. When in doubt, go to: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp
dee wrote: This is for Big Jesus, if what you wrote you think is true, then what the hell are you doing reading it!!!!
Ari wrote: This comment is for Dee...BigJ was quoting what George Carlin actually did write, so getting upset with him is actually funny cuz it was the words that upset you...in other words...you were upset about what George Carlin said in regards to the piece that people 'think' he wrote...lol...next time check out the link before you reply...just thought I'd help you out, it's not good to have such anger inside...breath and let it out.
Rabia wrote: thus is the vouce of my heart, that i never expressed... thanks alaot alot alot for sharing this............
Big Jesus wrote: "One of the more embarrassing items making the internet/e-mail rounds is a sappy load of crap called 'The Paradox of Our Time.' The main problem I have with it is that as true as some of the expressed sentiments may be, who really cares? Certainly not me.

I figured out years ago that the human species is totally messed and has been for a long time. I also know that the sick, media-consumer culture in America continues to make this so-called problem worse. But the trick, folks, is not to give a care. Like me. I really don't care. I stopped worrying about all this temporal stuff a long time ago. It's meaningless.

Another problem I have with "Paradox" is that the ideas are all expressed in a sort of pseudo-spiritual, New-Age-y, 'Gee-whiz-can't-we-do-better-than-this' tone of voice. It's not only bad prose and poetry, it's weak philosophy. I hope I never sound like that.

-George Carlin, seen here: http://georgecarlin.com/home/dontblame.html
lovebug wrote: Thank you Steve for showing us the gentler side of George Carlin, I only saw him in stand up comedy which oftened many,but I found him spiritually profound at the time, he told the simple truth about how shallow most people think, I will miss his type of honesty.

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