The Power of Power

Ah the mystery. I spent a lifetime struggling, in imagination, against my creation as well as against the big creation. I existed in the realm of power and perceived it as the only game in town. I tried to take power from those around me and I gave away my power to those I placed above me. I languished and was excited, I submitted and exercised.  In doing so I struggled, complained, manipulated and cried out for more power in order the break the power that I had given to others to rule over me.

The power of us and them, nationalism, religion, consumerism, sex, hierarchy, wow, it’s pretty amazing to look in on. I may have been rescued, or just chose to step away, but not a day goes by that I’m not somehow drawn in to participate. I’m not really sure how to explain it. It’s all around; actually it’s contained within us. 

Am I Part of a Bigger System?

Are we part of a larger narrative?

My vision today is my position, say in this chair, in this house, on this block. A human who eats because his body needs energy, a student who goes to school with many other students, who are all getting together their books and grabbing breakfast and whatever, in their house on their block. This narrative of living is so much bigger than I. We place so much on our position in this narrative, what we like to eat for example, missing out perhaps on the life cycle that is our natural desire for eating. The birds, they eat, sit, startle, chirp, fly, these are the things that birds do because they are birds. How do we look as we wake up, dress, eat, drive, talk, eat, talk or walk… doing the things that humans, in the US, on this continent, the global north, do every day. Do we, can we, stop and zoom out leaving ourselves as just a part of the big picture? Recognizing that I eat and drink for the same reasons as the birds? Do I need to stop, interrupt this cycle, to recognize and acknowledge my position, even skip a meal or two, to show that I can be human and recognize that I am a part of a system, narrative, that is much bigger than I??

Just a little thinking out loud for today.