Why are we here?
If one listens to political news or even local news, it might seem that we are here to engage in a tennis match in which each shot is intended to knock down the idea, thought or personhood of the opponent.
For many, December is time of the year to review one life and/or business and sets goals for the next year. It is the time of the year when some individuals and families might reflect on the purpose of this life journey.
In 1991 the editors of Life Magazine published the answers that 300 “wise women and men” gave to this very question in The Meaning of Life: Reflections in Words and Pictures on Why We Are Here.” (davidlose.net). Author John Updike suggested, as have many, that we are “here to give praise”. Author, Anne Dillard suggested that: “We are here to witness creation and abet it. We are here to notice each thing so that each thing gets noticed…We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us to and praise the people who are here with us.” Buckminister Fuller said, “By creating things, by thinking up new combination, we counteract this flow of entropy. We make new structures, new wholeness, so the universe comes out even.”
Many people would agree with what these and other individuals said in this 1991 article. Yet, 26 years later many of us seem to find little reason to give praise. Father Greg Boyle often talks about helping others to return themselves to themselves while they help him return him to himself.
Scientists affirm that all of the universe (s) is an amazing interdependent and interacting whole. Each part of the whole has a role to play in this amazing dance. While one can argue about how this dance began, it is difficult to argue that anything or anyone is independent of the whole. Everything and everyone adds to the whole. Yet, when are unable to be present or as Anne Dillard says “to notice each thing”, the whole cannot function in the way it is intended to function. Anger, resentments, violence of any kind, disrespect, and judgments are all shields which prevent us from being present.
To give praise -to notice - we must first be able to give praise to and for ourselves. Anything which keeps one from doing that takes away from our primary purpose. For when one is able to give praise one focuses on one’s strengths and gifts which then allows on to focus on the strengths and gifts of the other. When one is able to stop critical navel watching one can notice the snow, the enormous pine tree, the birds and the deer. One can give praise for the gift of heat on this cold day, the gift of this computer on which I am typing, the gift of food.
There are those who believe that some people or other parts of nature are evil. One cannot ignore that that we all capable of enormously hurtful behavior. Yet that hurtful behavior is usually rooted in some brain dysfunction or some past pain. Some may not be able to return to themselves. Tiffany Haddish in her book The Last Black Unicorn talks about the affect of the brain injury her mother suffered; an injury which kept her mother from being returned to herself.
What if we attempted what so many in 12 step programs, Father Boyle or Anne Dillard suggest; to daily write a gratitude list – to daily give praise – to notice.
Written December 14, 2017
Why are we here?
If one listens to political news or even local news, it might seem that we are here to engage in a tennis match in which each shot is intended to knock down the idea, thought or personhood of the opponent.
For many, December is time of the year to review one life and/or business and sets goals for the next year. It is the time of the year when some individuals and families might reflect on the purpose of this life journey.
In 1991 the editors of Life Magazine published the answers that 300 “wise women and men” gave to this very question in The Meaning of Life: Reflections in Words and Pictures on Why We Are Here.” (davidlose.net). Author John Updike suggested, as have many, that we are “here to give praise”. Author, Anne Dillard suggested that: “We are here to witness creation and abet it. We are here to notice each thing so that each thing gets noticed…We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us to and praise the people who are here with us.” Buckminister Fuller said, “By creating things, by thinking up new combination, we counteract this flow of entropy. We make new structures, new wholeness, so the universe comes out even.”
Many people would agree with what these and other individuals said in this 1991 article. Yet, 26 years later many of us seem to find little reason to give praise. Father Greg Boyle often talks about helping others to return themselves to themselves while they help him return him to himself.
Scientists affirm that all of the universe (s) is an amazing interdependent and interacting whole. Each part of the whole has a role to play in this amazing dance. While one can argue about how this dance began, it is difficult to argue that anything or anyone is independent of the whole. Everything and everyone adds to the whole. Yet, when are unable to be present or as Anne Dillard says “to notice each thing”, the whole cannot function in the way it is intended to function. Anger, resentments, violence of any kind, disrespect, and judgments are all shields which prevent us from being present.
To give praise -to notice - we must first be able to give praise to and for ourselves. Anything which keeps one from doing that takes away from our primary purpose. For when one is able to give praise one focuses on one’s strengths and gifts which then allows on to focus on the strengths and gifts of the other. When one is able to stop critical navel watching one can notice the snow, the enormous pine tree, the birds and the deer. One can give praise for the gift of heat on this cold day, the gift of this computer on which I am typing, the gift of food.
There are those who believe that some people or other parts of nature are evil. One cannot ignore that that we all capable of enormously hurtful behavior. Yet that hurtful behavior is usually rooted in some brain dysfunction or some past pain. Some may not be able to return to themselves. Tiffany Haddish in her book The Last Black Unicorn talks about the affect of the brain injury her mother suffered; an injury which kept her mother from being returned to herself.
What if we attempted what so many in 12 step programs, Father Boyle or Anne Dillard suggest; to daily write a gratitude list – to daily give praise – to notice.
Written December 14, 2017
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