HARMING THE OTHER

Perhaps the most important lesson ever, 'We are ALL ONE' is not just a few sweet and empty words strung together on a Facebook post....

A Metaphor on what actually happens 

when we seek to harm another being:

 It is rather like crashing your fist at the person smirking at you (seeing him/her as 'the other)   - - -  and then the mirror you were actually looking into falls to pieces scattering shards of glass everywhere  - - -  your hand (or worse) is now bleeding - - -   your hatred has maimed the true self.  Which is to say - has ultimately harmed all of us.

One of the most astounding gifts given is a heart capable of breaking wide open.  It is most often through pain and suffering that the opening begins. Initially that pain is for the small self and concurrent thwarted desire.  It has the potential to expand to include immediate family and from there has the potential to include tribe and those with mutual attitudes and goals.  We are broken down by the weight of suffering pressing in on us from all sides. 

 Then there comes a time when the scales tip. ALL melts into us.  What we thought was taking us only deeper into to sorrow and suffering - into our collective suffering which we sought thru legislation and 'good guy' organizations to relieve and heal - was actually creating an even grander opening.

 Here is truth: When the flood gates opened pouring misery into our life what we did not then realize was that a channel was being formed to also admit - JOY concurrent with LOVE.  

 This profound and all pervading Joy and Love, we realize, has been there all along.  Yes there is still an intense suffering of which we are aware, and often it is still a personal and painful suffering.  But, more and more includes the connection to Creator and Creation and so connection with ALL. 

 There comes a time when we become acutely aware - harming the other also harms the self. 

 This is our collective journey - a turning to what in the bible is called ATONEMENT.  a return to AT ONE MENT.

PRONOUNS

   by Karle Wilson Baker    

  O God, You said,

“Say, ‘We’”;

But I shook my head,

Hid my hands tight behind my back, and said,

 Stubornly,

“I.”

 

Again You said,

“Say, ‘We’”;

But I looked upon them, grimy and all awry.

 Myself in those twisted shapes? Ah, no!

 Distastefully I turned my head away,

 Persisting,

“They.”

Again You said,

"Say, 'We'",

and I

At last,

Richer by a hoard

Of years,

Looked in their eyes and found the heavy word

That bent my neck and bowed my head:

Like a shamed school child then I mumbled low,

"We, O GOD."