Today’s contemplative thought:
As much as my ego likes to think otherwise, I have never had the diplomacy or the reach to truly approach (let alone proceed) along a path of “changing the world”. This said, I realize that all actions bring reactions and that ripple of every act I have ever taken reaches far beyond my limited sight.
Knowing this to be true, and being unable to see all outcomes or how far these silly ripples reach before resolving into nothingness, I am increasingly aware that, regardless my ego’s far-reaching aspirations and hopes, it is more likely that I will, in ignorance, thoughtlessness, or anger send forth other than the beneficial, helpful things that could, in their invisible-to-me travels, even breathe upon such aspirations or hopes.
This thought, more than any other, pushes me to strive for slow thinking, for longer glances to assess and consider prior to acting; this thought, at times, makes me unwilling to act without a sense of genuinely beneficial, good intention. It likely often looks as if I withdraw and do not act at all, as if I am reticent or maybe even hypocritical. I’m ok with that because I would rather be thought to render lip-service or even to be a hypocrite than to knowingly act unknowingly and care not for the universe of all consequences.
A very wise person once demonstrated this concept with an egg. He said, while holding an uncooked egg in his palm, “How difficult is it to break an egg?” And we all agreed it was ridiculously simple.
He then asked, “How difficult is it to put a broken egg back together?” And we nodded and agreed that it was impossible.
He then swept his gaze over us and asked, “How often do you consider the people around you this way?”
In our silence, he continued, “Every action holds the possibility of unexpected and unfortunate outcomes. If you cannot know that what you do is free of ego-intention, self-cherishing motivation, or afflictive emotion, it is better, always, to do nothing.”
My ego often disagrees. It’s kind of greedy and hungry that way. But, when I really think upon it, I know as well as I can know anything that this is a rightful view, a rightful intention, and a rightful motivation to carry within myself as I travel this life and this world.