| IX625 Annuit Coeptis Two | Surroundings Table of Contents Second Chances Universal Thoughts We've Got You Surrounded Come Out with Your Hands Up! A War of Words Surround the Stranger Great Expectations Love Means Never Having to Say You're Psychotic After the Words One | Metaphors Three | Mechanisms Four | Connections Home Site Map Contact Search Message Board |
Uncomfortably
Numb The Interactive Newsletter You Never Asked For Second Chances What am I to say here? / Words so often fail Last issue we began to explore the seemingly ubiquitous metaphor of the dreaming/ hypnotized/sleepwalking human. Just so we're clear on this subject: I'm not claiming to have broken the spell. I do, however, claim to have seen sufficient evidence to believe that humanity isn't fully conscious. I believe we're all dreaming/hypnotized/sleepwalking to some extent. And I absolutely believe it's imperative that we break this spell and become aware. What's more, I believe we're being aided in this struggle to awaken. Whether by hosts of angels, our collective unconscious, or some other agency, I can't say for sure, but in my mind—and, especially, in my heart—I know, help is there for the taking. In this struggle, we need a light of sorts to guide us. I'm not talking of personal belief in a specific deity (although I do find strength and comfort from that corner), I'm talking about a Golden Rule to live by. I was amazed at how many cultures have their own version of, the old standby: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I agree with Richard Bach that that particular Golden Rule is severely flawed (for example, what if I'm a masochist?); however, I don't agree with his solution: Do unto others as you truly feel like doing unto others. Problem is, we're not really aware, so we can't always trust our impulses—or worse, our common sense—to react to ever-varying situations with any consistency. No, we need a simple, all-encompassing rule to light our way. Before I share my reflections on the long-reigning champion in my own Golden Rule competition, I'd like to quote from Carl Sagan's first novel, Contact, in order to sum up my thoughts regarding personal searches for evidence of God: In the fabric of space and in the nature of matter, as in a great work of art, there is, written small, the artist's signature. Whether or not you believe in Jesus, I believe his answer to the "Greatest Commandment" question holds the truest Golden Rule I've yet to find: Love God with all your heart and soul, and love your brother as yourself. If you think about it, and feel about it, and you find something better, please let me know. Daily life often hardens our hearts. To evolve, it's up to us to tenderize that metaphoric center of our being with persistent applications of unconditional love. Universal Thoughts |