Our ancestors were swingers--so we're told--and used their tails as well as their heads and their hands. We cringe at the very thought of such a humble heritage, but such a primal scene displays elements of innocence and honor far surpassing our conduct today. Actually, the contrast between primordial man and the gentleman of today is somewhat ironic.

In those days our progenitors went out on a limb to hang around each other. Mother may have been an agile hooker; however, she felt at home with the family tree. We are even told that our ancestors literally worked their tails off as a result of holding their chins up, and that standing upright to free their hands for gathering food, they made their noses impotent for finding it. It seems that they became naked as an evolutionary refinement, but through the progress of acculturation, started convering themselves with the fur of their kindred. Consequently, we used to have a license to kill for food. We now buy a license to kill for fun.

We stand erect today, yet hold a lease and walk our dogs. We no longer wag our tails. We twiddle our thumbs and pace the floor. In fact, losing our tails seems to have gone to our heads. Having developed the neocortex, we think and plan and worry. Consequently, we develop ulcers, not from what happens, but from worrying about what could have been and what might be. With our knowledge we have killed more peopole than brutes of tooth and claw.

In ancient days, life out of balance with nature disappeared. Today we feel no need to adapt. Our confidence is in our ability to change the world instead of ourselves.

No more simple life and brush arbor existence for us. We have become the noble philosophical animal. We have sought the truth to make us free and have found it to be very, very expensive.

Bill Stroud, of Richwood, Texas, has an extensive background in three areas: theology, philosophy and psychology (B.D, Th.D., Ph.D). Although semi-retired, he is active as a speaker, free-lance writer and a workshop presenter for educational and service agencies. Address comments to d rstroud@comcast.net