We are here in this time and place. We don’t truly know much about what happened in the beginning, although there are some plausible theories. We know more about human history, but even that has been recorded by biased hands. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter how we got here; what matters is that we are here. Any number of beliefs can satisfy personal desires for an origin story, but none of them can change the facts of where and when we are. And we are here in this time and place.
And this is an inspiring time and place. There is truth and beauty everywhere we might choose to settle our gaze. There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the brightness of day, with its vibrant color and crisp detail. And there is truth and beauty and inspiration in the depth of night, with its myriad stars and evocative darkness.
There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the oceans, with their mysterious depths and rhythmic tides. And there is truth and beauty and inspiration in the skies, with the bright blue of midday and the full spectrum of sunrises and sunsets. There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the solid ground, whether it is red clay or shifting sand, angular stone or mist-shrouded marshland.
There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the vast variety of plant life around us, from gargantuan redwoods to dandelions, bearing fruit that is pleasing to taste and flowers that are pleasing to gaze upon. They have the capacity to nourish us, to heal us, and to teach us if we are willing to see and learn.
There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the seasons and the weather, whether in the white cold of winter or the red heat of summer, in the midst of windless calm and in the midst of the fiercest storm. And there is truth and beauty and inspiration in the creatures with which we share the planet, whether they be birds that soar across the expanse of the sky or creatures that glide on currents far beneath the surface of the water. There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the domesticated creatures we care for and the creatures who thrive in the wilderness, even the lizards and insects in our own backyards.
There is truth and beauty and inspiration in the people we encounter, whether we share with them a moment or a lifetime. In every human being there is a glimpse of what some call the divine: the very essence of truth, beauty, and creativity. Each person therefore has value by possessing that spark which is common to all of humanity. And when we are willing to see the divine in others, we are more likely to see our own honest, beautiful, and creative selves.
It is also important to rest, to remember the value of rejuvenation. Just as nature needs time of dormancy and the rejuvenation of water, so do we need times of stillness and rejuvenation for our bodies and our minds. We offer our best and receive the greatest satisfaction from life when we intersperse our experiences of activity with rest.
We are not here in this place and time to suffer or to cause suffering, but rather we are here in this place and time to respond to the truth, the beauty, and the inspiration which is all around us, to find our own unique voice and speak with boldness and love, to be truth, beauty, and inspiration for one another.
No person is an isolated being. We are at our very core relational. We are in constant relationship with the natural world around us, and we are in constant relationship with one another. These connections are as vital to us as physical nourishment.
Randy,
ReplyDeletePart of the human condition is our desire for meaning and purpose in our lives.
You address this when you write: "We are not here in this place and time to suffer or to cause suffering, but rather we are here in this place and time to respond to the truth, the beauty, and the inspiration which is all around us, to find our own unique voice and speak with boldness and love, to be truth, beauty, and inspiration for one another."
I would submit that our desires for an origin story are directly related to this desire for meaning and purpose. "How we got here" is an important question, as it yields significant insight to what our purpose is (or isn't).
For example, in the Christian tradition, the "how" is that God created us, which yields the insight that our purpose is to glorify him. That obviously changes radically if, in fact, we are random blobs that spontaneously occurred -- because there is no God to glorify.
My point is not religious in nature, per se, but rather about the importance of the "how." You mentioned that we're here to respond to the truth, and I agree -- and I think the "how" is a big component of the truth.
Personal beliefs are indeed a major source from which people derive meaning and purpose. I do agree that an individual can place a great deal of importance on the question of "how we got here," but any answer to the question ultimately amounts to a choice of belief that cannot be verified. In other words, it becomes a matter of faith, whether that faith is in God or in the spontaneous evolution of random blobs.
ReplyDeleteWhile faith has enormous meaning for individuals, I think problems arise when we require others to agree with our unprovable beliefs. When we insist on the importance of a particular origin story over all others, we can wind up missing the divine.
I consider it evidence of spiritual maturity for an individual to derive personal meaning and purpose from a chosen belief or origin story while allowing for others to place meaning and purpose on a completely different answer to the question of where we came from. Ultimately, as long as the answer we choose leads us toward recognizing and responding to truth and beauty, I don't believe it matters if our answer agrees with anyone else's.
So, I don't really object to anyone claiming an answer to "how we got here" for themselves, but I do object to someone insisting that their answer is the only "right" one.
I agree on all points. However, I take issue with your statement in the original post that "ultimately, it doesn’t really matter how we got here; what matters is that we are here."
ReplyDeleteBased on our exchange, I think we have shown that it does matter how we got here, even if it cannot be verified and agreed upon...
-Laura
I can accept that. I suppose clearer language would be, "We don't have to agree about how we got here." The general sentiment is that it's not an issue that needs consensus to be of value, even though it is an issue worth settling for one's own sense of purpose and meaning. My original language didn't reflect that with crystal clarity. That's why this whole public forum is so valuable!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Well said!
ReplyDelete--Laura