Gift From The Sea

Picking up her sisal bag and walking over the sand of the beach in her bare feet, Lindbergh ponders a remaining and pressing question for her project of self-exploration and discovery. Namely, to what extent is “the search for outward simplicity, for inner integrity” (139) a partial perspective that does not take account of broader political and ethical concerns? Does the pursuit of inner peace, she asks, cause people to neglect the suffering of others in the rest of the world? In one sense, says Lindbergh, this is a very modern problem. Modern communication and the increasing interconnectedness of the world mean that “we are asked to feel compassionately for everyone in the world” (139). Newspapers, radio, and television all continually provide up-to-date information on events as far away as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

However, argues Lindbergh, people cannot respond to all this information or act on all the feelings of compassion they have for everyone they know to be suffering. There are simply too many people in need and too few resources. Thus, Lindbergh suggests, people should not break themselves by trying to complete an impossible task, nor should they despair of the fact that helping everyone is beyond the scope of their powers.