As I remember, it was Shakespeare’s Hamlet, who said, “There’s nothing either good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Since my last column there’ve been several events that have given even the most indifferent something to ponder in the realm of good and evil.

Perhaps the one that affects the most people is the passing of the pope.

In the last quarter of this century I can think of no person who has so earned the affection and respect of his fellow men as this man.

At once courageous and compassionate, he was not content with merely preaching his religion &045; he lived it. His concern and love for his fellow humans were not bounded by denomination.

There is a tendency, when a good man leaves this world to believe that the world is poorer for the loss. The qualities that we recognize as good, though &045; life, truth and love, being immortal &045; are powerful beyond death and wherever and whenever practiced remain to eternally bless.

Since last week, too, a young woman, said to be brain-damaged, was ripped from the care of her devoted parents and slowly starved to death, having neither food nor water.

According to her husband, she did not wish to continue living. If she did not, it’s unfortunate for her husband that she had not signed a living will.

People are so likely to believe that her death was something of a convenience to the so-called husband.

It is quite likely that wherever life takes him, he will always &045; or will think that he is always &045; regarded by condemning eyes. We

all would like to have the approval of our associates. We are not truly happy without their respect. We can live without it, only if we are sure that the path we have taken is right.

To be devoid of self respect is to have died a little.

It seems certain that each of us has a concept of right and wrong. The problem is that it takes an effort &045; that sometimes seems beyond us &045; to live up to our highest sense of right.

I can remember a Fourth of July when I was scarcely school age. I was running around happily shooting my cap gun at various other kids.

My father took me aside and said he was glad I was having a good time. He said he had given me the cap gun to enjoy and celebrate with, but under no circumstance was I to aim it at anyone.

“You can point it up at the sky,” he said. “You can point it at a vacant space, but not at any person.”

He didn’t threaten to take the gun away from me, just made it clear that toy gun or not, guns were not to be pointed at a peson, any person.

I never forgot. Sometimes when I read about a child shooting another child, I think if some trusted adult had taken time out to say “Don’t ever point a gun at another person,” everything

might have been different.

Life is is too magnificant not to be recognized as holy.

(Love Cruikshank is an Albert Lea resident. Her column runs Thursday.)