Getting Across

There's a poem that encourages us to realize that life is a passage with many bridges to cross:

"Both the health of our bodies, And the fleeting world outside us, are like the blind men's round log bridge – a mind/heart, that can cross over is the best guide."

Early encounters of bridges to cross are easy only because the mind/body are closer as one and the instincts to share, to help, to watch more closely are natural human responses when in the presence of others. Fun is something to encounter easily - in the dirt, watching a bug, chasing after one another for no reason other than to engage in the chase.

Looking at what happens over time: fear, suspicion, doubt, delusion. These limit that capacity that comes with "not knowing.". An old teacher once pointed out that these also create both individual and collective suffering.

And one has to ask, "Not knowing what?" The unknown that must be faced as life's journey unfolds.

Danger exists. There is no doubting this fact; and losses and pain are real. Out of a desire to protect, and some might say survive, the need to understand danger and pain must be developed and measures intended to minimize injury must be taught. This, more than how to love deeply; how to share meaningfully; how to build the capacity to develop an ability "to see" with hearts, with ears, with a clear mind. To realize that one can learn from others, understand, and finally cross without falling - even when blind.

Collectively, there are many choices and these are the bridges that arise along the way. For example, the events and occurrences being reported today in the news starts with the destruction of an entire community by an instrument of war that can precisely target an entire neighborhood for destruction. Then the stoppage of a national sport already known to cause traumatic brain injuries, when a player collapsed on the field. This followed by news that mental health workers are leaving their jobs and a shortage has created concern because it is a profession that is already facing high burnout, horrible working conditions, and increasing needs without increasing resources. In governance, the battles are brewing beginning with how the Congress will manage to preserve the work of investigation into events of January 6, 2021. What will the collective choices be?

The burden of society seems to have many threads and while knowing about these events and occurrences might be useful in navigating one part of life; they also distract from the essence of another - our human desire to nurture life and living.

Individually, there are even more choices. These seem like the smaller bridges that have to be crossed. These are the ones that invite a choice to be patient, generous, uninhibited in laughter, to explore with curiosity and without doctrine or opinion. These are the bridges that connect us one person at a time, one moment at a time, one experience at a time, leading to the realization that one small, fleeting look that can comfort of destroy in an encounter.

And it turns out that the individual bridges are the ones that have the greatest effect on a world that is full of either willful, or chosen "blindness" to what we know to be our shared destiny.

The "round log bridge" arises in every day, both for individuals and communities. Mostly, people are blind; a very few can see with clarity.

And crossing those bridges - the greatest chance of getting to the other side - is to tap into the mind/heart which can see beyond what the eyes perceive.