Connection

December 31, 2023

John Donne (1572-1631) is noted for his profound writings, including his poem "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Though Donne lived in a different era, his poem speaks to this timeless truth: none of us exists in a bubble; we are all connected. But instead of living in this awareness, we tend to live only in our immediate emotional, mental, or physical "proximity."

Acknowledging that we are not islands unto ourselves doesn't mean we feel the pain and joy of everyone. But we can be sensitive to the reality that we ride this globe with billions of souls who live, laugh, love, fear, search, desire, partner, make love, birth, celebrate, die, and mourn. In Donne's words, we are not separate islands but parts of the same land mass. All parts affect the whole, and the whole affects all its parts.

Our unchecked ego makes us an island because it fixates on its own concerns and immediate relationships. However, our higher self, our soul, radiates concern for all people everywhere all the time. Why is this so? The soul is conscious that as children of the One True Source of All Being, we are of the same body, which, like the human body, cannot operate without its parts working in concert.

Being conscious of our connection to all others, we work harmoniously within groups to which we belong, like our family, our neighborhood, our religious organizations, and political groups. If all the smaller groups worldwide could harmonize their differences, the more prominent groups would do the same because they are built from the smaller ones. Ironically, the first step to harmony in groups of any size is to settle the wars within ourselves as individuals. That is why inner work is so essential.

The people of this planet are now forced to work together to avoid the end of civilization. We either cooperate or perish. The bell tolls, not only for "others" in a faraway place, but also for us, if anyone is left to ring it.

Inquiry: How does our connection to others keep the species alive?

Dear God,

I pray to reach beyond myself to feel my connection to everyone. Amen

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