A new hope

by Jon Sullivan - 2022-09-07 - Jonism

<<<<< previous blog         next blog >>>>>

---

A new hope - I used to always see myself in isolation. My desires were the only desires. My hobbit hole was my world. But I'm starting to see myself in context.

I'm starting to think about myself being around people. Which sounds weird, but remember how I've lived my life until recently. The sum total of my social interactions have been going to visit my sister and being around her guests once a year. You might blame Covid and lockdowns, but that wasn't it. For me, lockdown just meant I had a good excuse for selfish decisions I'd already made. Now I'm starting to embrace the context that we are all one with the universe, with God, with nature, with our fellow humans. Taken to it's logical extreme, we are all just manifestations of the universe, as are all things. We are here to work together with nature and our fellows, rather than set ourselves apart or above. That is virtue.

I used to be indifferent to what I perceived as the indifferent world around me. Now I see how it only seemed indifferent because I refused to see myself in context. Now I see how I'm of the universe. Now I understand the logic of "oneness".

I always sort of low level understood it. "Thou art god, I am god. All that groks is god." So all that. But now it makes more sense after emerging from isolation. The logical leap from knowing we are made of star stuff..... to honestly believing we are one with the universe.... It's easier now. When I run the logic it seems inescapable today, where previously it seemed more like just semantics.

He went on to Jubal, "'Thou art God.' It's not a message of cheer and hope, Jubal. It's a defiance - and an unafraid unabashed assumption of personal responsibility."

I read that line about 45 years ago. And then somehow I ignored it specifically, even as I embraced so many other questionable quotes. But right now, with all my possessions packed and stacked next to me, the journey I'm about to start on will be driven by context rather than isolation. Driven by a desire to live a more virtuous life. Driven by a well reasoned assumption of responsibility for my oneness with others.

I don't know how it will all play out. But it will be in nature. It will be around people. There will be weather and mud and bugs. And I will unabashedly embrace it all in context.

<<<<< previous blog         next blog >>>>>

---