These ruthless acts do more than further the divide between the nefarious and their victims. Still in the wake of yesterday’s Paris events, those of us who survived now risk becoming a venomous two-headed snake, striking at itself, while the evil instigators slither away, recoiling in the shadows.
For each of us left, the candle in our heart presents a delicate flame; so easily blown out by vengeful thoughts… so easily blown out by sorrow. How do we shelter this light when we must boldly hold it up to the darkness? There is a place in our awareness where the breeze is still and the fragrance strong. Lost in a cloud of self-righteous judgment, we seldom go there and so the flame is flickering to near extinction.
The sun setting on an ocean’s western horizon looks the same as another’s sun rising on its east. East reflects west, west reflects east – but the mirrors Plane of reflection is forgotten as we toil with which of us is the real and which is the illusion. How is your Mirror?
Mine reflects on the other 106 murdered in Beirut and throughout the Middle East and Africa this month, and the 102 killed in Ankara, Turkey the previous month and the other more than 500 killed in the same region in October. I am so confused. I have no explanations.
It’s not accountability I seek. When the entire world is seen as the cause for this or the cause for that, where do I ultimately feel its effect? The answers to all these questions begin with “I” followed by love… or not.
Be still with your neighbor, hold your candles up
