Honor All Life
“In
nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection
with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over
it.”
Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe
Several events came
together this week that had a great impact on me. First was the
Seekers Group on Wednesday night. We discussed Thich Nhat Hanh's
interview with Krista Tippett—his principles of mindfulness and
suffering. We always comb through the mystical, the synchronous, and
unexpected things that have happened in our lives in the weeks since
we last met. Second, the beautiful tribute that Jimmy Fallon gave to
his mother, having just returned to his show after her death. He told
a story about how, all his life, they had a secret greeting in which
they squeezed hands three times for “I Love You” and how much he
would miss her and that reassuring hand signal. Then Taylor Swift
sang her new song, “New Year's Day” about squeezing hands three
times in the backseat of a taxi, and containing the line, “Hold
on to the memories, they will hold on to you.” It seemed to be
a direct message from Jimmy's mother to comfort him. The third event was the
current administration's rolling back of the ban on owning trophies
gotten from killing elephants. These may not seem like synchronous
events to you, but for me they are, and they ask some
soul-stirring questions.
For me, the big questions
are these: What kind of world do we want to live in? Do we want to
live in a world in which some people are marginalized because it
costs too much to help them? A world in which endangered animals can
be slaughtered for sport and money? Or do we want a world in which
our deeply embedded connections with all life on this planet are
acknowledged and honored? Do we want to spend our limited time here
on earth connected to, or split off from, our ancestors, our family,
and our future generations. Do we want to recognize the greatness of
the mystery of all life as one single, unbroken chain, connecting to
our past and to our future? Do we want to spread love, or put all our
energy and effort into making and hording money?
Here is a beautiful,
hopeful quote from David Suzuki: “I see a world in the future in
which we understand that all life is related to us and we treat that
life with humility and respect.” With all my heart, I pray he
is right.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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