Life Reflections
--
And Other Things of Importance to Me!
Entry One: Seeking To Know Where I Fit In the Larger Scheme of
Things
June 11, 2007
The following video is not original -- but it says much about how
I view my place in the larger scheme of things.
My individual significance matters little unless I seek to make
the very limited time I have within my realm of existence meaningful.
I do not doubt that there are forces within the universe far greater
than anything I can comprehend. Call those forces what you will
-- make them in your own imagine if you like. Creation as I know
it is part of the natural order of things large and small -- and
I am much closer to that end of the scale I label as small.
Does that bother me? Not in the least. To accept my position is
not defeat, but liberation.
I live with the knowledge that I create or diminish my significance
with my every action. "I am" only in the context of other
creation -- so how I interact with what is around me does matter.
Whether there is anything for me in time and space beyond my biological
being is of no consequence -- I do not lose sleep wondering if there
is a heaven or hell. My current reality contains much of both entities
-- and knowing the difference is a constant challenge. It can be
overwhelming to know that you control much of who you are -- for
better or worse. For me -- that is empowering, not debilitating.
I do not need some external force to validate who I am or forgive
me for what I am not.
What contact I have with the eternal is both deep within me and
in all creation external to me. I have the freedom to select wisely
or selfishly how I interact with that knowledge.
Not being alone on this planet, I have obligations and responsibilities
as well as freedoms and rights. How I manage my life is important
-- and most of the transformational decisions in my life were made
by my choice of voices within creation to which I would listen.
Learning to be silent and listen for other voices was (and is) the
most difficult transition I have made in life.
Writing bad as well as good stories in life is not a crime. My human
story will have many chapters -- unless I decide to stop writing
-- and some of them will stink.
I know of no one who has not written bad chapters to their life
story or traveled on many dead-end roads. But that is to be
human. The challenge is to check constantly the direction in
which my life is heading -- and be willing to detour from bad destinations.
Taking ownership of my position as writer of my life story is not
arrogant or disrespectful of what is eternal -- it seems totally
within the parameters of what is possible and expected. Forgiveness
of the errors of my ways starts within. If successful, it will be
noticed in that which is without.
If there is a "point system" associated with my life,
I am the major scorekeeper. Only I can truly assess where I have
been -- because only I know what I have done and left undone. And
only I and those parts of creation with which I interact can bestow
what grace I receive.
For much of humanity that calls itself religious, such personal
responsibility does not seem possible or is not theologically acceptable.
Tradition, mythology and vocabulary have made my personal salvation
dependent on mystical validation. And I am no longer willing to
accept spiritual subservience.
Liberation from such spiritual dependence means “spiritual
independence” -- and that change is a threat to many in the
religious establishment.
While valued in our social and political lives, personal spiritual
independence is not a quality admired or promoted by most religious
orders – as spiritual independence for “the common man”
could seriously undermine the power, position and authority of those
benefiting from our spiritual dependence. But that is another entry
– and I will have much more to say on the “good, bad
and ugly” of modern organized religion.
In conclusion – as is often said – the circle of
life will go on.
It is that knowledge that brings me as close as I can come to whatever
is eternal around me. Life emerges and disappears in its magnificent
diversity every moment. I can only wonder at the beauty of the process
-- and be thankful for the opportunity and privilege to be author
of much of the story of my life.
The following musical videos found on YouTube helped
inspire most of what you read above.
Carl Sagan in 1991 -- speaking to all of us.
Pale Blue Dot
Inspired by the words of Carl Sagan in 1991, as he presented to
the world the most distant image yet taken of ourselves -- from
4 billion miles. Song and film by ice core scientist. Dedicated
to Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan.
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