Whalechaser's Musings

No Matter Where You Go...
There You Are
Make the Best of It

Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Source of Disharmony

Imagine walking along a sidewalk with your arms full of groceries, and someone roughly bumps into you so that you fall and your groceries are strewn over the ground.

As you rise up from the puddle of broken eggs and tomato juice, you are ready to shout, “You idiot! What’s wrong with you? Are you blind?” But just before you can catch your breath to speak, you see that the person who bumped you is actually blind.

He, too, is sprawled in the spilled groceries, and your anger vanishes in an instant, to be replaced by sympathetic concern: “Are you hurt? Can I help you up?"

Our situation is like that. When we clearly realize that the source of disharmony and misery in the world is ignorance, we can open the door of wisdom and compassion. Then we are in a position to heal ourselves and others.

1 comment:

Tricia said...

Actually Ellen, It was the Cheetos...and the Starbucks ice cream...and the m&m's......and the Reeses Peanut butter cups. I really should know better :)