After a frustrating morning of various interruptions, disappearing passwords, and lost time checking the day's disturbing news, I decided I needed a short break outside. I opted for carrying out the trash and recycling as a symbolic gesture to restart my day. And actually, it helped. The weather was pleasantly warm; the sky clear. May has erupted full-blown in this small, very green yard. Lemon, orange and blood orange, grapefruit, tangerine, avocado, persimmon trees have rebounded from the fires. Along the path to the trash cans, there are flowers: roses (red, pink, white, orange), red bougainvilleas cover the fence, and azaleas, carnations, and peony brighten multi-shades of surrounding green. Two blue-jays suddenly flew across the yard in a stunning display of freedom. Truly the day was glorious. Even if your area now is bracing for storms, spring will come. Even though we live in times of sudden atmospheric shifts, nature still brings its moments of breathtaking beauty. The key is variation. The phenomenal--really unfathomable--variety of life is its glory. Attempts to reduce creation to sameness, leaves it hollow and stale; infinite diversity is the Way of Life.
Spiritually, it's important to consider this principle of life-as-variation in our attitudes--not just toward the wildness of nature and the animal world; we too, as human beings, are born in variation. We classify and name varieties of human beings, like we classify and name other species, plants, microorganisms, planets, galaxies and even possible universes. Yet, in reality, each human being is a unique combination of genetic, physical, mental, and emotional factors, which shape individual health, personality, behavior, and skill sets. Clearly, diversity serves the mystery of ongoing creation.
It is human thinking that assigns labels and meaning to natural diversity. And it is social-political collectives that assign social value. In my first class of undergraduate political science, the professor defined politics as: "the allocation of values for society." With this grand opening, I was hooked, and actually became a Political Science major. Many years down the road, and several other paths passed, before I understood that this 'allocation' includes the value, or lack of value, of the fundamental principle of natural diversity.
Social values shift and divide us, or unite us, just as religions do. Regardless of belief, politics, and religions, the Movement of Life--Creation Itself, God, the Transcendent--however you name it, brings forth a world of multiplicity and diversity. Surely, Life has given human beings the intelligence and care to respect and nurture Nature's fullness of form. Navigating a spiritual path that recognizes the fullness and diversity of Life, ultimately means finding a place of Peace for all forms of life, including those who cannot accept the fundamental principle of variation and diversity. This week, consider you own attitude, reconciliation, and acceptance of infinite diversity, known and unknown. And in that spirit, why not celebrate Cinco de Mayo, too! (Susan Nettleton)
for poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46986/the-mayfly
https://www.poeticous.com/poets/william-carlos-williams/poems/the-locust-tree-in-flower
https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/Poets/W/WhyteDavid/WorkingToget/index.html
http://www.whereearthmeetssky.com/musings/2013/09/my-work-is-loving-world-poem-by-mary.html