48

In the pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is added.

In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is dropped.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.

True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way.
It can’t be gained by interfering.

Tao Te Ching by Lao-tsu, trans. by Stephen Mitchell

Of course everybody wants to rule the world. What world you ask? Why, one’s own world! And what constitutes that world you are certain to ask. I mean the zone belonging to one’s self.

As counter intuitive as the viewpoint may be, perhaps the message of the Cohen Brother’s movie The Big Lebowski is relevant. Life happens to us, an uncontrollable event. My life, your life is a mystery that we naturally attempt to unravel. It is complicated. Learning “how to abide” saves you and me from a world of hurt, misfortunes ignited by exercise of my will to expand and defend the borders of my kingdom.

I’d like to once again view the Cohen Brother’s film.

~*~

Sandwich is farm country and like much of rural American solidly supports Republican politicians. But this year at the Sandwich fair I didn’t see a single instance of MAGA wear, either the red hat or a jacket/sweatshirt signaling allegiance to the autocrat in the White House.

Instinct instructs me to minimize violence, the temptation I feel to react to this autocrat’s policies by weaponized-words. Plan and organize is better than “returning fire,” to talk “smack” and invective. This dark eruption of deceit, racist and misogynistic violence will unmask itself. Then and only then Americans will build again a more just, more human management of our society, and of our responsibility to the earth. 

This tune is a suitable concluding note, Riders On The Storm by The Doors.

Riders on the storm
Into this house, we’re born
Into this world, we’re thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm

The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of July 3, 1971,
the same week Jim Morrison died.