I really felt this the other night, on a chilly night, with a light drizzle. I felt Earth as a giant waystation in the dark, a beacon of light, a hub of hope, of a hustle and bustle unknown on the vast, lonely trails countless souls are traversing across this universe.
There is infinite life we can’t see, infinite awareness we can’t see. And no matter how miserable a life might be on this planet, it is still better than what is out there. I feel there are heavens and hells. There is no being eager to punish or reward us. There are simply consequences, rules.
And this is a subtle point. Christians posit a loving God who looks after us. But Christians are not spared random tragedies, although I’m sure it is true their belief makes it easier for them to deal with them, if it is authentic belief.
What if there is a life beyond, which simply operates according to laws like those of physics? True Buddhists to not worship the Buddha–although of course He is one of the Three Jewels–but to the extent they worship anything, it is the PATH, the rules, the game plan, the most effective course of action, which he shared, which in the spiritual life is roughly equal to the rules of physics in planning the behavior of matter. It tells you what to do in order to get where you want to go, or would want to go, if you knew more.
On one level, it is very lonely looking at an infinite universe without some force playing the role of parent, and feeling how we all exist in space, even on Earth, even when sitting at a computer keyboard typing. I feel this. But I also feel what a fascinating and interesting game it all is, what miracles lurk underneath the most mundane scenes and experiences.
Life will not come to you. You must go to it. And in making that effort, it will meet you in the middle.
I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds deep!!!! (I’m laughing at myself. I sometimes describe myself as an Alpha Nerd).
Have a pleasant day!!!