Story Chapel, just inside the main entrance to Mount Auburn
Cemetery, in Cambridge, Mass. The cemetery, founded in 1831,
is the first landscaped cemetery in North America.
I understand that no human is perfect but shouldn’t each one of us be striving to get closer to perfection --- not in a fanatical, but a reasonable manner.
Lin Yutang in From Pagan to Christian mentions Confucius’s concept of ren-ren. “This philosophical idea of ren, or true manhood,” states Lin, “became, for Confucius, an ideal somewhat difficult to attain. … [He] did allow that this true manhood was within reach of everyone. … But to be a ‘real man,’ in English as well as in Chinese society is not easy. I suppose Confucius would say that Abraham Lincoln was a ren-ren, a real man, an example of the human best, consistently maintained at a high level.”
Lin later states: “A harmony is established between the moral universe without and the laws of true manhood within. In discovering his true self, man finds unity with the universe, and conversely, in finding unity with the moral laws of the universe man realizes his true self, or true manhood.”
Although their achievements may be far fewer than those reached by Lincoln, there are people still striving to improve themselves and society at the same time --- Tony Torosian for example.
An obituary in the Thursday, March 25, 2010 Boston Globe describes how Torosian had spent over 25 years attending court proceedings in Boston’s federal and state courtrooms --- just because he enjoyed doing it. And eventually, lawyers and judges began seeking advice from Tony regarding how their cases were developing.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mark L. Wolf is quoted as saying: “There are some people who drop into court proceedings occasionally; there are others who come regularly, but nobody was as almost religiously devoted to observing the operations of this court as Tony.”
Confucius observed that when an individual educates and improves him/herself, society benefits. We all have the opportunity to do just that, and not only society but the universe also will benefit.
A military burial was held for Tony Torosian at Mount Auburn.
"Tony always enjoyed a good cigar," said his brother Bob Torosian,
above right, as friends and relatives of Tony began smoking
cigars, in remembrance of Tony, soon after the funeral service.
Buds and small blossoms began appearing on some
of the trees in Mount Auburn Cemetery, which covers
175 acres of meadows, hills, ponds and woods.
Harold Edgerton, pioneer in stobe
lights and photography.
B.F. Skinner, pioneer in behavior modification.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The name sounds familiar but I don't know if he ever
accomplished anything with his life. More notable graves include:
Charles Bulfinch, Curt Gowdy, Buckminster Fuller,
Mary Baker Eddy, Felix Frankfurter, Oliver Wendell Holmes,
Winslow Homer, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and many others.
Interior of Story Chapel
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