The heaven and the earth are harmonious; man is a discord. And not only is he a discord in himself, but he takes pleasure in producing and multiplying discords. Life is nearly one of three things; contradiction, negation, or defiance. From the first to the last he torments himself with inventions to outwit or subdue Nature, and in the end dies, utterly defeated. His civilizations, his dynasties, his laws, his customs, are all doomed to destruction and oblivion as completely as an ant-hill which exists one night and is trodden down the other.
The above would seem to be a note in defeatist attitude. But it is not so. It is also an assertion of the glory of man in his eternal quest for unraveling the mysteries of Nature and, in the process, also of his own unraveling. The first prayer to have issued forth from the lips of the ancient man was as a plea for appeasement of Nature to protect him from its destructive powers. The lightening that he feared and prayed to is now running the electrical gadgets at his home. Many of Nature's powers have been and will be conquered to serve mankind.
It is true that man is doomed to destruction if his relationship with Nature is one of struggle. He will never be able to use the language of conquering, because science can at no point of time claim that now there is nothing more to be conquered. If, along with the struggle involved in the quest, he is filled with a reverence towards the intended design of the Almighty for man to enjoy and evolve, then the struggle, strife or frustrations will give way for harmony and love. The world would be a better habitat if the discord of man with Nature is resolved into one of accord.
No better way perhaps, than by love as the outcome in wonder and awe of Nature and its bounties for Man:
- If I loved you, and you loved me,
- How happy this little world be --
- The light of the day, the dancing hours,
- The skies, the trees, the birds and flowers,
- Would all be part of our perfect gladness --
- And never a note of pain or sadness
- Would jar your life's beautiful melody