ONE

Chuang Tzu, the great Taoist Chinese philosopher, once said, "That which is one is one. That which is not one is also one." Charles Williams, a great Christian mystic, once said, "We are each part of a vast web of interrelatedness." Sometimes we seem to forget our place in the scheme of things. We feel separate and apart— cut off from the flow of all things. As Lily Tomlin says, "Just remember, we're in this all alone." Sometimes we do feel as if there is no one here but us and that we have to make our way through this life ourselves, without help or support. But then there comes a shining moment of realization, and it dawns on us— yes, we are alone, but we are also infinitely connected. How could we not be a part of eyerything? If we are part of everything, then we have access to the allness of life. A Zen monk who humbly holds out his begging bowl is staking claim to the allness of life. We, too, can claim our share of the oneness of this life.