Not Just Me

We should consider each other fellow travelers sitting in the same boat.  If the boat sinks, we will all sink together.

          Thich Nhat Hanh

 

What happens to another, whether it be a joy or a sorrow happens to me

          Meister Eckhart

 

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others

          Paul

______________________________________

 

It is tempting to make it

all about “me”

 

to join with those

for whom life is a transaction

a matter of giving

but mostly taking

 

after all, radical individualism

doing what benefits one’s self

without regard for the other

is as American as apple pie

 

and so is the love of power

so many of us love to dominate and control

and so will do whatever it takes to gain power and keep power

 

the only measure of success

being whether it benefits us

 

and we gather in packs (or political parties)

drawing around us people of like mind

in a toxic and deadly game

that ignores the common good

for self-benefit

 

thus we put people in power

who ignore the common good

who value power over people

 

we entrust our states, even our county

to people who will do anything

anything

censor

pass oppressive laws

suppress the vote

neglect the poor

use their power retributively

value money and power over people

 

with only one thought in mind

winning

we want to win, win, win,

We want to win until we are tired of winning!

 

The end result is leaders who appeal to the worst in us

And tap into fear and resentment

into smallness

 

the end result is division

and disparity, inequity

injustice

 

we forget that we are in this together

we are sitting in the same boat

and if the boat goes down

we all suffer

 

the reality is this

if we make others suffer, we suffer too

if we help others find joy, we find joy too

 

I am sorry, Governor DeSantis

Former President Trump

Senator McConnell

 

I am sorry church leaders

who push an agenda of domination and division

(us versus them)

 

You have it wrong!

 

And I, when I buy into the same mentality

When I respond in kind

When if forget that we all are children of God

And carry the image

 

I too have it wrong!

 

This day, may I look more deeply within myself

and find Sacred presence

and find Sacred love

 

This day may I look more deeply into those around me

 

And this day may I commit myself to one task

Fierce love

A love that sees not my own benefit

But the benefit of others

 

For Jesus came to save the world

Not just me