Growing up I always wanted a pet rock. But my parents were concerned that I was not ready for the responsibility, the care and attention it would require. We were poor and could not afford a real, store bought pet rock, ones like the other kids had. So I went on a search for my own – out into the woods, by my favorite stream, up the rocky outcropping behind my house. Till at last I found what I was looking for. Shape, color, texture, personality all perfect. Home, into the house, into my special place in the basement. My own new friend to love and cherish.
Most of the time we look to the outer world for the definitions of who we are. Our families, our schools, our jobs, our professions, our religious beliefs, our hobbies, the list goes on. They form the basis of our lives. In turn, they give us meaning and motivation.
It has been said that inherently, things do not have meaning. Does a rock have meaning? A rock can be merely something we step upon and walk over. Or a rock can be seen as a precious gem of fabulous wealth. A person can be the love of our life, in the center of our universe. A person can be seen as the embodiment of evil and hatred. We decide.
We decide. What is the importance? How does fit it into our worldview? How does that make us feel? Why does that feeling occur in the first place? Where does it lead to? What are the connections?
The implication is that ultimately we have a choice as to the meaning we give to any circumstance or situation. How do we wish to interpret what we experience? Unfortunately, much of what we encounter does not generate a conscious decision. We can function with a subconscious or unconscious reaction. A reaction that is shaped by the filters, our pain body, to quote Eckhart Tolle, or all the general assumptions that we are inclined to jump to. It has been said that what we take as freedom to make decisions, is anything but that.
However, that is not to say it is impossible to be objective, to see clearly that which we encounter. It may be an uphill struggle, if we stay within those normal definitions of who we are and the meanings we have ascribed to ourselves. But that is not the only way to approach clarity of perception and meaning. We have the ability to perceive the world from a “higher” more expansive vantage point. It requires conscious awareness of one’s self. It requires honesty and true compassion as we navigate the world. It requires the heart presenting the true meaning of the world to us, at each moment of the Now.
A.S. 3/1/22
