Thought experiment: being one among billions of cells - part 2

I have described in these pages a thought experiment  —  imagining oneself as one cell among billions in the body of humanity.

Since then, the woes of humanity have mounted. Wars, famine, pandemics of health, hatred and anxiety. Though historically common, these seem to have become more numerous, more intense, and more ghastly in their human consequences — deaths, injuries, hunger and starvation, including countless civilians and children; homes, hospitals, schools and jobs destroyed; forced mass migrations; alienation of neighbors one from another, even in communities far from war or famine, due to toxic political climates.

How does one cope? How does one person, with one voice in the seeming din of shouted harangues, both practice self-care and contribute in a sustained way? 

Return with me to the thought experiment. Even for an imaginary, single cell in the body of humanity, Life is a best efforts proposition. Each cell has its familiar set of chosen responsibilities within the body of humanity and fulfills those responsibilities in what it perceives as its best effort under its circumstances. 

Imagine that to a cell comes the knowledge that the body is in danger. For reasons other than self-defense (or far beyond it), some cells in the body are killing, maiming or starving their fellow cells and destroying or threatening to destroy organs in the body which are the sources and homes of those other cells. Yet other cells, for power or distraction from the effort to gain power, are trying to get cells to attack each other or to diminish the ability of cells work together, particularly to work together to reverse and deter the degradation of cellular cooperation that is needed for the health of the body. 

How does the cell respond to that knowledge? Just by pursuing its previously chosen set of responsibilities, however far from danger that may be, perhaps reasoning, “what difference could one cell make?” 

Or does the cell recognize the danger to the body, recognize that its duty of best efforts applies to care for the whole body, and recognize that it could make a real difference, especially by joining with other cells, and resolving to find out what it, that one cell, can do — what it can do beyond what it previously did, beyond what it was previously comfortable doing — to help in a loving and persevering way to protect and heal the body? I believe that the cell that chooses to pursue this resolution, this path of growth and service, will find that choice fulfilling and entirely consistent with self-care and having a life of joy.

Thanks and an invitation

Friends, for the joy of competing in the men’s senior veteran singles on October 18 in the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta, I have pledged to raise at least $2500 for the non-profit Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), which protects the river and its watershed.  If you like what you read here, please consider supporting my row at  https://www.givengain.com/project/leeland-raising-funds-for-charles-river-watershed-association-83870  Thank you!

September 22, 2024

Life will always take care of itself, whatever we do, and whether we think about it or not.  But if we consciously attend to Life as it unfolds, and do our best to honor and protect it, something magical and very powerful happens.  It's as if the Holy Spirit is telling us,

"If you lovingly take care of Life, Life will lovingly take care of you."

Reality check #23: Moral gerrymandering

I have written about knowing one will need "forgiveness" as a sure sign that one is about to cross a boundary.  The spectrum of importance of legal and ethical boundaries is vast, of course.  

Boundaries - geographic, legal and ethical - are inherent in the practice of some state legislatures in the United States called gerrymandering - "the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries with the intent to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency."  When it is used to protect incumbents, Professor Wayne Dawkins describes gerrymandering as "politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians."

Reality check: Does my decision-making involve moral gerrymandering - the conscious or unconscious changing of my moral boundaries so I can do what I want to do or avoid doing what I don't want to do?  I place a high value on telling the truth - and on doing the right thing.  What should I do - what DO I do - when telling the truth about something unimportant, like whether or not I enjoyed an experience, would needlessly hurt someone's feelings?  Do I move the boundaries of my core values to disenfranchise my conscience?  To excuse or justify serving my interest rather than another person's interest?

How alert am I to the difference between suppressing one value to honor a higher value - especially love - on the one hand, and, on the other, suppressing the higher value for convenience or the avoidance of embarrassment or discomfort?

In the phrase "situation ethics," isn't ethics the more important term, and the loving service of others always the goal?  

 

Having faith in people

Faith in God, however named, will of course always be of great and special importance to those who have that faith.  However, God acts through people - and there are a lot of us.  The condition of the global environment for humanity and all other living things will depend greatly on what people do. 

So, compared to faith in God, I believe that faith in humanity - especially faith in those of our personal family, friends, neighbors and leaders who have not discredited themselves - is of much greater practical importance to the peace, justice and sustainability of societies around the corner and around the world.

It is in our interests to acknowledge, encourage, and honor the capacity for goodness - the holy potential - in every person.

September 8, 2024

I have been reading a collection of early 20th century lectures by psychologist William James. The book is entitled The Varieties of Religious Experience. 

In that book, Professor James talks about individual human depression of the darkest kind. It is very hard to read the first-hand accounts of losing both enjoyment of practically everything in life - the faces, touch and laughter of loves ones, freedom of movement, sunny days, self-expression, learning - and hope that the deprivation will end. It is horrific even to try to imagine such experiences and hopelessness.

One of James's sources is Leo Tolstoy, the Russian writer. Unlike many others, and despite years of avoiding situations that would make suicide easier, Tolstoy did not give up looking for aid in escaping the prison of depression. And eventually he found aid. He found aid in what he called God.

Today, mindful that none of us gets through Life alone, I imagine this message from the Holy Spirit within each of us: 

"Whenever you find yourself in a dark place, a place of depression or seemingly endless grief, and all the ways out seem to be blocked, seek within yourself the will to find aid, to find grace, however small or brief the grace may be.  Persevere, and you will find aid. You will find grace, be it, at first, like drops of rainwater from the ceiling of a dungeon. A crust of bread in the dark. A memory of a special moment. Persevere in seeking grace, and you will find more and more of it, enough to free you.  Each time you find grace - indeed, each time you look for it - I will be close by."

August 4, 2024

Holy Spirit, thank you for this moment.

And this moment.

And this moment, too.

Help me to cultivate gratitude not only when I am comfortable and Life is comfortable but also when it is hard to find gratitude lest, when I have a much greater need for gratitude, and for connection with You, I be not well prepared to find them.

A dream imagining Yo-Yo Ma's thoughts on God

Yo-Yo Ma is lecturing in a college library.  He is giving two lectures in succession.  I go for the first.  He sings a song.  The song tells of God undergoing an inspection of His quarters and of His works by a host of angels.  His quarters are spare and perfectly clean and tidy: a quarter would bounce on the bed.  God stands by silently, serene.  The angels are eager to criticize but find nothing amiss.

As soon as the song is over, outraged people in the audience attack Mr. Ma, crying heresy at the idea of God being judged by the angels.  He waits for the uproar to end, and it slowly, grumblingly does.

After a minute of silence, he replies:

“Do you not think it serves God to examine, in holy company, what He’s done?

“Do you not think that God welcomes assistance in His discharge of His enormous responsibilities?

“Do you doubt that God has the strength and grace to accept - even ask for - the views of others?”

 

Wow!  I think I’ll stay for the second lecture. 

 

In the second lecture, Mr. Ma asks rhetorically what beauty is.  He pauses, listening to the silence from the audience.  He then turns to an easel and begins to draw quickly, effortlessly.  He draws the figure of a woman, viewed from behind and above.  He is most entertaining as he does this.  The woman is plump and nude, sitting with her right leg straight out and toes pointed, like a dancer.  The image is lovely -- and takes him only a couple minutes to draw.  More Wow!

Having demonstrated by implication that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Mr. Ma asks me to come forward and do the next drawing.  I go and stand next to the easel.  “Draw God,” he says.  I look at him, amused and, obviously, at a loss.  The audience laughs.  “Oh, just draw something!" he says playfully.  A bit embarrassed, I quickly, but also playfully, draw a couple random blotches of color.

Mr. Ma studies what I’ve done for a few moments.  He then turns, pauses, and says to me and the rest of the class, “You see, whatever you draw does not limit or insult God but, rather, shows God’s greatness.  This is because, with only the tiniest bit of imagination, you quickly see not only that God is more than any of us might define Him to be, but that you could draw -- or try to define-- God constantly and for the rest of your life and the result would be inadequate.”

April 28, 2024

God - the Holy Spirit of Life and of Love - is here with us, and within each of us, trusting that we will trust its guidance in our decisions about self care, service of others, and what love calls us to do.

Reasons for kindness

"Kindness" that comes from striving for influence, for reputation, or for a feeling of superiority is offensive.

True kindness is an expression of love as natural as blossoms in Spring. 

But there is also this: the kinder I am, the happier and luckier I become.

Honoring our own and others' perceptions

Our perceptions - our personal experiences, memories, and beliefs - matter more to most of us than the perceptions of others. Differences and conflicts arise even when we do our best to limit our perceptions to "objective reality" or to "common sense." Our differences, including the infinite set of purely subjective experiences - dreams, goals, yearnings, ideas, whimsy - make me me and you you.

Honoring our perceptions and experiences while being open-minded and willing, even eager, to grow is important! It takes courage, and increases courage, to do so. It takes guts to refuse to let peer pressure, fear or anxiety eclipse our truths from our own consciousness and, when appropriate, from one another.

On balancing self-care and citizenship

We do the best we can—at least the best we can see to do—and then we quit. Whether we quit to nourish the body with food and drink, to nourish the spirit with play (whatever play is to us), or simply to rest, we all do, and should, quit serving others as needed for our self-care. The author of my most recommended book these days, Whole Brain Living, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, says, "I find the more I play, the more interest and energy I have for working. I wish everyone understood that."

Then do we recognize when it is time to get back to work? That is easy enough when we have made a commitment to our children or others on which our honor depends, or a commitment to an employer, client, or patient on which our growth, reputation—and paycheck—depend.

But don't we have other important work?

Do we not have work—important duties, though varied and often self-chosen—as citizens? Obeying the law and expecting others to do so? Showing respect for others—even when they seem not to reciprocate? Educating ourselves about conditions in our community? Voting and volunteering to care for our community? Seeking and speaking the truth in public matters, even when it requires guts to do so?

If we believe citizens have no duties, or if we admit we have such duties but neglect or shirk them, or if we think ourselves excused until others better perform their duties of citizenship, how dare we complain about the conditions of society?

March 3, 2024

Mahatma Gandhi said, “If you don’t find God in the next person you meet, it’s a waste of time to look further.”

Without first finding within myself, and connecting with, honoring, and trying to serve God, however named — Holy Spirit, Life-with-a-capital-L, Allah — how can I recognize and honor God in anyone else, thus to combine our portions of holiness for mutual joy and the betterment of society?

Life beckons

 Life beckons, 

Smiling: yes, you.

Life beckons: come hither.

Now at the door.

Now at the training.

Now at the starting line.

Now at the base camp.

Now at the misty edge of the falls.

Now in the wilderness.

Now at clouds' rest.

Now at the front.

Now in the ambulance.

Now sitting on the bed, 

Wordlessly Life urges: come to me

And I will stay with you 

Through all the work and grief

And peace and joy 

That lie before us.

Acting on our values: supporting Ukraine in defeating Russian aggression

The thoughts in this blog are deeply personal.  As we grow, we must apply our principles to our lives – to how we use our time, to our relationships and communities, and to contribute as best we can to others in need.  So I am very glad to have someone of the erudition, blunt eloquence, and "let's do this!" attitude of Yale University Professor of History Timothy Snyder on my mind these days.  At https://snyder.substack.com/, Prof. Snyder writes cogently why Ukraine must defeat Russia in the present war, and why people around the world – Americans in particular, as a nation and individually – should contribute politically and financially to that defeat.  I recommend Prof. Snyder’s work without reservation.  Here’s a selection of particulars:

"Why the world needs Ukrainian Victory"  https://snyder.substack.com/p/why-the-world-needs-ukrainian-victory   Jan. 23, 2023 [sic]

"On Tyranny"   https://snyder.substack.com/p/on-tyranny  Jan. 6, 2024  (Audio: https://snyder.substack.com/p/on-tyranny-audio)

"Your neighbor's house is on fire"  https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-neighbors-house-is-on-fire   January 4, 2024  (Audio: https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-neighbors-house-is-on-fire-audio)

 "Safe Skies Over More of Ukraine"  https://snyder.substack.com/p/safe-skies-8a2 (12/20/23)  Here is the website for donations to Ukraine for protecting itself from Russian drone attacks by enlarging and maintaining its Air Defence Forces' alert system: https://u24.gov.ua/safeskies

Help Stop a Genocide:   https://snyder.substack.com/p/help-stop-a-genocide  Link to "Donate to fund a Shahed [missle] hunter":  https://u24.gov.ua/shahedhunter

 It will not surprise readers of this blog that, when I was of age for American military service, I was a conscientious objector.  I have remained a pacifist.  But that does not mean I will stand by if someone attacks another person and I have the opportunity to stop the attack or prevent or minimize injury.  Russia's ongoing war to subjugate Ukraine is such an event.  The translation for me is that I have donated money to Ukraine for both drone detection and destruction systems https://u24.gov.ua/safeskies and for de-mining Ukrainian lands.  (See https://donorbox.org/collins_demining  actor Misha Collins's fundraising campaign for humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine.)  And I will keep doing so as long as Ukrainians need help.

At https://u24.gov.ua/projects, there are other ways for individuals to support Ukraine financially, such as https://u24.gov.ua/christmasstar  (construction of shelters in Ukrainian schools).

The international effort promoted by Prof. Snyder to help Ukraine succeed in defending itself and its freely elected government from attack after attack by an autocracy seeking their subjugation needs help!  Each of us must decide for ourselves what’s right.  But I hope you, dear reader, will join me in contributing personal funds to help Ukraine defend itself and its people, and in urging others to do so.  Thank you for at least considering this.