Whatsoever that be within us that feels, thinks,
desires, and animates, is something celestial, divine, and, consequently,
imperishable.
--Aristotle
BECOMING PART OF THE WHOLE
A couple months ago my column explored the idea that our body has nothing to do with who
we are. It's simply a vehicle to be used during this phase of our existence. This month I want
to suggest changes we can make in our 'real' selves to help find true happiness. What I am
about to share will run contrary to beliefs some people have held all their lives and accept as fact
without question. Although I hold no degrees or expertise in any field, I try to share what works for
me. Ego can be extremely destructive. With ego we build a false image of ourselves for the world to
see. Big houses, cars, multiple degrees, money ... we try to convince ourselves that we ARE
somebody and we make comparisons as to how we stack up with everyone around us. This
competition can become deadly for our happiness. Let it go.
Competition in almost any form can be damaging.
It amazes me that people in sports are made heros and given ridiculous sums of money for developing
a skill to perform meaningless tasks better than most people. Can they hit a ball, beat the snot out of
someone, run a hundredth of a second faster or swim further than anyone else? ... None of it matters
even a little bit, but there are thousands and thousands of fans who rise and fall with each
contest. Win or lose, if we attempt to elevate ourselves it can be
devastating to believe we have achieved a superior station, or that someone is actually
'above' us. Athletics are no more than entertainment. Let it go. However, I believe we should do the best we can,
whatever the task, there's just no need to compare it to anyone else's work.
We dissect, label, categorize and sub-categorize everything around us, then look for ways to inflate
our egos by taking pride in something we had nothing to do with or makes any difference. Whether I was
born black, white, red, yellow or plaid, it was none of my doing, so how could I possibly take any
pride in the results? But people do. The same goes for being a man, woman or hermaphrodite, straight, gay,
American, Italian or Sudanese. I didn't pick the place I was born on this planet. It just happened. So why
should I be 'proud' of it? Many people bury themselves in this sort of competition and it consumes them. Think
what the Nazi's did with this ... Let it go. There are those who pound the table and announce
proudly, '''By gawd, my ancestors came here on the Mayflower.' (I guess the Concorde was booked up.)
Or maybe their grandpa built Hoover Dam or the Empire State Building
single-handed. In any case, I had nothing to do with any of my ancestors
activities, so how can I point to them and inflate myself with pride? If Mark Twain
was my great-grandfather, I could admire his story telling ability or
the way he turned a phrase, but to feel I am special because of his skill is ridiculous. To the best of my
knowledge Mark Twain is not my great-grandfather and my great-grandmother isn't talking. Let it go.
When we can let go of this ego thing and accept that we are no better or
worse than anyone else, then it becomes difficult for someone to hurt us with a comment. Ego is a
house of cards and can come crashing down when hit with a pointed remark. Without the ego there's nothing for the
remark to knock down. Let it all go, and when we are unburdened and can
accept ourselves for who we are without making comparisons then we will begin to feel peace and
contentment. We might actually stop focusing on dividing, segregating and comparing ourselves and
become part of the whole. We are all part of the whole.
send
mail to John at:
jcrusey@woh.rr.com
y@woh.rr.comwoh.rr.com
