We Are One

"The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass." Dogen

Sometimes in life we are so busy dissecting things and trying to find out what the parts are that we forget that there is also a whole. While science strives to see how the parts work, philosophy and theology are more concerned with the whole picture.

We are all part of the circle of life. The smallest change can affect a larger picture. We see this in the El Nino/La Nina weather patterns. A change in the temperature of the ocean determines whether we will have drought or flooding. A change in the ozone layer can bring about global warming and change our weather patterns. A slip of the plates that make up this world can cause earthquakes or tidal waves killing thousands of people and causing untold destruction. A solar flare can interrupt communications. An accident at a nuclear facility can over twenty years later still affect the health both mental and physical of the people that inhabited the area.

In life a careless word spoken can change a relationship forever. A slip of the tongue can destroy the happiness that has taken years to build up. At the same time a soft word spoken or a smile can change the type of day a stranger is having.

In addition to being individuals we are part of the whole. What we say and do can have an effect on many lives. No man is an island. Few of us have the money of a Howard Hughes where we can shut ourselves away from the world. Like it or not we are a part of the world we live in. We affect it and it affects us. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of daily life it is a good thing to stop and reflect on the calm of a dewdrop. We need to allow the beauty that is around us to fill our souls and thank the God that made us and let him/her know that you appreciate this life and will try and do your part to make the whole a good place to live in.

The picture is called "Moonlit Sea."