WITHIN THE FRAME

Understanding the relationship between a man and the Order of Freemasonry is admittedly a process that defines. Most of us will recognize the law of parsimony by its other more familiar name- Occams razor. It is a well recognized tool, because it is easy to learn and immediately useful. " Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular.  Its chief use  is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature".  David Hume  "Whoever wishes to see the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results".  Machiavelli    I'm inclined to add to the story of awareness. In a way it is like learning history. We pick up ideas from others, add our own observations and discover familiarities. Good teachers help us learn that ideas can be broken into segments to assist learners. Consider a mans potential sidetracked by impatience when he is confronted with layers of information. In my masonic environment this is ignored. Men are left to their own devices, which strikes me as an oddity of practice in some locations where our  'fraternal' order is established.  If Machiavellis  point is valid to us, it makes sense that understanding human nature, the aspects that bind us together comes from observing diversity over time. If or how that knowledge effects a man is a simple matter of interpretation. Few men ever find themselves in a position like that. Does he have the confidence to do things "new' to him? Or is he able to share what beauty he finds with us? If this a principled life? There is a way to find out.