Be The Change

Some time ago I came across a quotation from Mahatma Gandhi that challenged me more than anything has in many years.  It was, “We must be the change we want to see in the world.”  Gradually, I have discovered that the true depth of this statement tends to be obscured by its simplicity and that to truly comprehend it requires more than a casual acknowledgement.  As I was pondering this concept, I encountered a statement by Martin Luther King who was a devout admirer of Gandhi and modeled his civil rights efforts upon Gandhi’s concept of non-violent civil disobedience.   As part of King's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize which he received in 1964, he said, “I refuse to accept that the isness of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal oughtness that forever confronts him.”

Suddenly I found myself confronted by two outstanding martyrs staring me in the face and lovingly but firmly saying, “Pick up a glove and get in the game. Change is possible, and you need to be part of it.”  This is not something I wanted to hear.  I like sitting in the bleachers, yelling at the umpires, deriding the players, and commiserating with my fellow cynics about how the game is being played.  I don’t want to have to work out and get in shape or play the game in a way that I might be observed and thereby judged by others.  Can’t I just sit on the sideline and critique everybody else?  Well, the answer to that was a deafening, “NO!”

This sounds like an overwhelming task.  The world is so big and there is so much that needs to be changed, and on the grand scheme of things, I am quite insignificant.   Yet upon further examination, the call is not to change the world.  It is to be the change I want to see in the world.  What does that mean?  To me, there are three aspects involved.  First, I had to ask myself what kind of people would I like to see inhabiting this planet.  Second, how would those characteristics influence their behavior?  Finally, what changes need to take place in my life in order to manifest those characteristics and behaviors?

So, I began my list.  I would like people to be honest, kind, compassionate, loving, generous, hard working, content to live simply with no need for accumulating wealth, tolerant of diverse opinions, having a deep sense of connection with others and a willingness to sacrifice for the common good.  These traits would be evident in their daily lives.  They would work cooperatively, care for the weak, act lovingly towards one another and find ways to contribute to their communities.

It doesn’t take too long thinking along these lines before these lists start to sound familiar.  These are the kind of virtues we find extolled in the scriptures of almost all of the major religions of the world.  What I find fascinating is that these prescriptions for harmonious human interaction have been presented as preparation for spiritual objectives and not as a means of improving our existence here on earth.

In fact, much of traditional religious teachings have more to do with avoiding spiritual consequences than effecting change.  In Judaism, the focus is on obtaining God’s blessing and avoiding His punishments in this present world.  In Hinduism the primary effort is to become enlightened in order to avoid being reincarnated.  Similarly, Buddhists seek enlightenment in order to avoid both rebirth and suffering in this present world.  Meanwhile, Christians and Muslims are trying to reach heaven and avoid hell.

With all of this focus on getting out of here, it is a wonder that religion has contributed anything to this present world, but it has.  Thankfully, in more recent years adherents seem to be increasingly aware of the obvious:  if we become more God-like, then the kingdom of God will become increasingly evident here and now.  What if that was the original intention of the inspirations, but the message has been misconstrued over the years?  What if Jesus meant exactly what he said when he said, “The kingdom of God is within you”?  What if we merely need to begin living it?

Certainly Gautama Buddha and Jesus are two of the primary archetypes for leading the way to selfless service.  In their shadow we find people like Anthony Benezet, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Thich Nhat Hanh and countless others.  However, recently a friend shared an account of an event that occurred in a local hospice facility.  It reaffirmed my conviction that, although we need inspired leaders to promote positive social change, true change will occur among the masses as we embrace the message on a broad scale and interact one-on-one.

In the local hospice house, a Muslim man was nearing death.  There was no Muslim cleric available to minister to him.  So, the female Jewish Chaplin took an English translation of Muslim prayers, sat by his bed and began to read them to him.  In response, he lifted his hands toward heaven and began repeating the prayers in Arabic.  This is truly what it means to become the change we want to see in the world.

I would love to think that I am at the forefront of this approach, but that would be pure fantasy.  As I began working on this posting, I googled “be the change,” and to my amazement and delight I discovered that there is an organization called Be The Change, Inc.  Its mission is to promote policy development that will bring about significant social changes on a global scale.  One of its campaigns has been Service Nation, which is federal legislation that was enacted in April, 2009.  Its focus is to promote citizen involvement in problem-solving social issues at the grassroots level.  One of its extremely ambitious goals is to make service an integral part of American culture.  It is hard for me to place a great deal of confidence in anything that the government initiates; however, this certainly seems to be headed in a positive direction.

I find theology, philosophy and science fascinating, but I would hate to discover one day that while I was pondering the eternal and speculating on theories of cosmic origin, others were busy nurturing an environment that would promote our progression towards the omega point.  I have identified what I need to become.  I just need to seek ways to manifest it in my life.  Being the change instead of waiting for the change to occur is how the present isness of my nature will become the eternal oughtness that ever confronts me.

Evolution All Around

In the past when I thought about evolution it seemed like something that happened a long time ago and merely affected the origin of life, dinosaurs, and the initial emergence of mankind.  It just didn’t seem relevant to our current experience.  However, more recently I have realized that nothing could be further from the truth.  Evolution is an ongoing process all around us, but in order to perceive it, it often needs to be observed from a more distant historical perspective. 

Evolution’s primary mechanism prior to the appearance of humans was “natural selection/survival of the fittest” which was accomplished through physical mutation and adaptation.  However, the emergence of human consciousness meant that we were no longer compelled to physically adapt to our environment in order to progress because we had developed the ability to reason and invent.  For example, even the most elementary cutting tools eliminated the need to grow claws for self defense or obtaining and preparing food. 

Consequently, there have only been limited physiological changes in human beings over the last 20,000 years.  Instead, our evolution has occurred mentally, socially, technologically, and spiritually.  Because these factors are not dependent on the extremely slow process of physical adaptation, human evolution is occurring at an ever accelerating pace.  Furthermore, the various aspects of our development are interdependent.  This is most clearly evident when considering the influence of technology.  The development of fire, the wheel, metallurgy, gun powder, the telescope, the printing press, steam power, the telephone, radio, flight, computers and Velcro have all had their impact on human progression.  Well, maybe not Velcro.

As we review history, it is easy to observe the benefits of technological progress, but social changes often appear more ambiguous.  Mere consideration of the Roman Empire reveals enormous growth in our development.  In our current world, it is almost impossible to imagine government-sponsored mortal combat and the mutilation of animals and prisoners as a form of entertainment, and yet that is exactly what was taking place then.  We would like to think that we are far more enlightened now; however, simply looking at the history of the United States reveals that the worldwide interest in human rights is a relatively new concept.  The international ban on slave trade was implemented less than 200 years ago, and it has only been 150 years since Abraham Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation that freed the slaves.  Believe it or not, in the United States of America it has only about 75 years since women have been allowed to vote and married women have been able to own property in their own names.  Furthermore, the Civil Rights Act that sought to eliminate segregation was passed less than 50 years ago. 

Although I have been unable to confirm it, someone once told me that in the 1970s the president of the American Psychological Association (APA) made a rather profound comment while addressing a conference.  He informed the gathering that the link between primates and civilized man had been discovered.  Understandably, the audience became quite excited at this news.  After the murmur subsided somewhat, he continued, “It is us.”  If this did not actually occur, it certainly should have because it conveys such an incredible truth.  Mankind tends to be over-impressed with the fact that we are on the cutting edge of evolution.  When contrasted to the hundreds of millions of years that life has existed on this planet, it is irrefutable that mankind has made some amazing advances in a relatively short time.  Nevertheless, we need to accomplish much more.  So, it is not time for self exaltation.  It is time to clarify our direction and focus our efforts towards true progress.

At times, it may be hard to accept the possibility that there is a divine hand in all of this.  We seem to take two steps forward and one step back, groping clumsily for direction.  It would be more encouraging if we could see a straight line of progression, but unfortunately, that is apparently not how evolution works.  It is loaded with stops and starts, charging ahead, and then meandering in circles.  However, in the midst of all of this apparent uncertainty are the voices of the spiritual sages telling us to acknowledge the source of everything, to recognize that relationships are more important than accumulating material wealth, to preserve our mental, physical and spiritual health, to love one another and to care for the needs of the weak.  These are messages that ring true in our hearts and seem to lie behind every positive step along the way.

If the evolutionary process occurring in the universe is being influenced at all by a cosmic consciousness, and the ancient scriptures provide us with a view of our ultimate destiny, then it is very possible that in the future, our descendants will possess a keen awareness of that consciousness.  Their perception of individuality will be tempered by a deep sense of universal connectivity, and their primary joy will be in sharing the unity of existence with one another.

In 5,000 years, future generations may look back at our time in history and wonder why war was still so prevalent and we had not reached a point where differences could be settled peacefully.  In 10,000 years, the concept of wealth may be completely foreign to them.  They may wonder why a small minority of the population horded such a large quantity of the resources while multitudes suffered from a lack of shelter, food, clothing, clean water and much more of life’s basic necessities.  However, as those future anthropologists analyze the actions of this generation, let’s hope that there will be a record of those who chose to pursue the universal truths and they will recognize that we were attempting to find and follow the evolutionary path that has led to where they are at that moment.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 

                           Mathew 6:10

Intelligent Evolution

Evolution is one of those topics, like right-to-life, politics and religion, which cause many to go onto autopilot when mentioned.  The staunch members of the various factions immediately retreat to their respective corners, lace up their gloves, and prepare to duke it out.  Opinions on this subject run the gamut from traditional creationists who believe that God absolutely created the entire heavens and earth in six literal days to evolutionists who are strict materialists who believe that the entire process is the result of the random interaction of inert elements.  However, I think that many people, including myself, fall somewhere in the middle and lean towards a theory that envisions an evolutionary process directed to some degree by a cosmic creative force. 

If we accept that evolution is still in process, and we accept the possibility that it has been directed in some way by a cosmic intelligence, then shouldn’t we assume that that direction is still occurring?  The answer to this question really depends on one’s opinion regarding the degree of involvement that has been present.  Some believe that the universe was merely set in motion and there has been no other participation from a divine source.  From a traditional religious perspective, many believe that God (however they may conceive of Him) is intimately involved in every aspect of our existence.  Personally, I tend to view the cosmic involvement as an underlying progression towards order and unity.

The concept of a directed evolution is conveyed in a marvelous book written by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin entitled The Phenomenon of Man.*  Teilhard was a Jesuit priest and paleontologist who died in 1955.  He was involved in several notable discoveries of prehistoric human fossils.  His book, published in 1950, puts forth a remarkable thesis that the entire universe is undergoing a process of “cosmogenesis,” (the progressive guided development of the universe) which is occurring through the mechanism of “complexification.”  This latter term perfectly conveys the process that has been going on since the beginning. 

According to current cosmological theory, at the instant of the formation of the universe, it was comprised exclusively of sub-atomic particles.  These coalesced into hydrogen atoms, which in turn were compressed into more dense atoms through fusion reaction within stars.  Eventually these elements were incorporated into our planet and finally combined into complex DNA molecules which are the building blocks of life and contained millions of atoms in a single molecule.  This is precisely the opposite of what one would expect to observe.  Over time, matter tends to degrade, not increase in complexity.  Nevertheless, it was through complexification that life emerged, thus suggesting the influence of a creative force directing the progression of this phenomenon.

Teilhard presents a somewhat technical but still understandable description of evolution as it has unfolded from the “big bang” through its current manifestation in the earth.  He believed that we are currently experiencing one of the primary objectives of the evolutionary process, consciousness.  He further believed that the ultimate objective is the “Omega point,” which is God-consciousness.  This thesis is especially interesting because it not only provides a link between creation and evolution, but it sets forth an interesting rationale for the process.

Is Teilhard right?  Naturally, it is impossible for us to know to what degree this theory reflects reality, but for me it is an idea that definitely resonates with my truth meter.  We have no way of knowing why a purely energetic cosmic consciousness would have generated matter, but it is certainly conceivable that if that is what took place, that that entity could also convey an awareness of its existence within the resulting life forms.  Perhaps the common aspects of so many of the world religions are due to a progressive awakening that is unfolding in our collective human awareness.  If this is what is truly taking place, then we are engaged in a dual evolutionary process, both physical and energetic/spiritual.

Unfortunately, evolution occurs over an extremely long period of time.  Therefore, none of us will be able to observe the complete fulfillment of any awakening that may be in progress.  Nevertheless, we can attempt to develop a sensitivity that will enable us to perceive the direction of this progression and fulfill whatever role we may have in it.

* For a more thorough understanding of Teilhard’s theory, I would recommend obtaining a copy of his book.

Ancient Scientists

It seems that since the first appearance of mankind, we have been wondering about everything around us.  Early man did not wait for the development of the scientific method to begin considering how the world was formed and what it all meant.  Although modern science has discovered much about the composition and function of our world and the universe that surrounds it, it is incapable of answering the lingering question, “Where did all of this stuff come from?”

Early efforts to figure everything out are grossly undervalued.  Every generation is on the cutting edge of knowledge and technology, but those accomplishments are built upon the discoveries and insights of previous generations.  Hindsight truly is 20/20, and from our vantage point, it is tempting to discount ancient concepts as primitive and ignorant.  However, we need to keep in mind that they were often forming their opinions with little or no preceding information.

Early man was doing exactly the same thing that scientists do today, observing, analyzing and making educated guesses.  To them it apparently seemed obvious that the world had been designed, thus implying the involvement of a master designer.  Consequently, much of the early “scientific” conclusions were coupled with theological explanations and overtones.  This is clearly seen in one of the earliest scientific fields, astronomy and its related component astrology.

It was this process that probably led to some of the early myths.  The story of Lot’s wife being turned to a pillar of salt was most likely an attempt to explain the existence of salt columns that surround the Dead Sea even today.  Anthropologists who study the origin of myths have traced many of the stories to locations where there are numerous prehistoric fossils.  For example, it is thought that the origin of the belief in the existence of the Cyclops probably resulted from the ancient discovery of the skull of an extinct dwarf elephant that once inhabited the European continent. 

The use of mythical explanations for material observations has generally led to a total dismissal of ancient scriptures as having any credible value for our current society.  However, what is truly amazing is the fact that some of the concepts developed by our ancestors were incredibly insightful and often relatively accurate.  The creation story contained in the book of Genesis conveys bits of information that closely parallel much of the current scientific theories of cosmology and evolution.  The heavens were formed before the earth.  In the early development of the earth, it is said to have been “without form and void,” an incredibly apt description.  Vegetation preceded animal forms, and when animals did appear, they were first created in the water and later on the land.  Certainly concurrent is the idea that mankind was the last and most complex creature to be formed.

Furthermore, Hindu and Buddhist traditions have taught that everything is one and that the duality that we perceive is an illusion.  We may debate the latter part of that statement, but beginning in the early 1900s the field of quantum physics has gradually proven the unity of all matter.  One of the prevalent unified field theories (string theory) postulates that minute strings of energy vibrate within a pervasive multidimensional energy field and form the subatomic particles that ultimately comprise the visible matter in our phenomenal world.  In other words, all is one.  How did those early yogis know that?  Their awareness came through deep meditation and insight.

Over the millennia we have seen a huge swing of the philosophical pendulum from a position of assigning a supernatural explanation to everything to the current scientific approach which totally excludes the involvement of any cosmic consciousness whatsoever.   It would be my hope that someday we might be able to take a more balanced and truly scientific approach in considering the possibility that there may be a pervasive creative force at work in the universe.  At present, it seems that modern science can offer very little regarding the deeper questions that still remain about the existence of God, the path to ideal human relations, or the purpose of mankind.  As we search for direction regarding these issues, the insights and admonitions presented in ancient scriptures deserve our respectful consideration because those who wrote them were not afraid to sit quietly and listen to “the still small voice.”

15

The ancient Masters were profound and subtle.
Their wisdom was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it;
all we can describe is their appearance.

They were careful
as someone crossing an iced-over stream.
Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.
Courteous as a guest.
Fluid as melting ice.
Shapable as a block of wood.
Receptive as a valley.
Clear as a glass of water.

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.
Not seeking, not expecting,
she is present, and can welcome all things.

Tao Te Ching

It's OK Not To Know

Not-knowing is true knowledge.

Presuming to know is a disease.

First realize that you are sick;

then you can move toward health.

The Master is her own physician.

She has healed herself of all knowing.

Thus she is truly whole.

            ---- Tao Te Ching chapter 71

Last year I turned 60.  It seems like for 50 of those years I have pondered eternal issues in varying degrees of intensity.  For about half of that time I was a devout fundamentalist Christian with periodic questions and a growing awareness that there was more to know than what was presented in the Bible.  At times, I anguished over my desire to know “the truth” and my lack of direction.  Then, I had a realization that freed me from that anxiety.  It probably occurred over a period of time because I do not remember a specific “Eureka” moment.  It was a recognition of the immensity of the universe and my finite place within it. 

I am awed by the enormity of the universe.  Every time I watch the accompanying videos, I am confronted with my inability to grasp the concept of infinity.  After all, we live in a finite world with limitations and boundaries.  So, trying to envision the universe expanding forever is truly mind-blowing.  For example, in 1995 for a period of 11 days, the Hubble telescope was focused on an apparently empty region of space.  During this time, researchers detected an additional 3,500 previously unknown galaxies.  A similar deep space probe was conducted in 2003 after Hubble had been equipped with new optics.  This time, it remained focused on a single point for approximately three weeks.  This resulted in the discovery of an additional 10,000 galaxies.  We are talking about galaxies, not individual stars.

Let’s see if an analogy can bring this vastness into focus.  Imagine that we lived on the surface of an electron (earth) orbiting the nucleus of an atom (the sun) which was part of a DNA molecule (our galaxy) in a cell (our local cluster of galaxies) in the brain of a gigantic human (the universe).  Would we be able to fully recognize the total reality?  Would we recognize that we were part of an enormous living being?  Absolutely not.  Our perception would be much as it is now.  We would be able to scan as far as our technology would allow, but it is impossible to believe that we would ever comprehend the big picture. 

As I have considered this perspective, I have come to the conclusion that neither I, nor any other human, will ever be able to completely understand God, the Source, the cosmos because it is just too vast and our comprehension is so incredibly limited.  I doubt that everyone will understand the magnitude of this revelation.  Many people are not particularly interested in cosmic contemplation anyway.  They are quite satisfied with focusing on the day-to-day issues of their lives.  Many more are content to place their absolute trust in ancient scriptures and believe that everything we need to know about God is contained there. 

For those who are actively seeking a deeper revelation, the idea of not being able to know the “ultimate truth” may be unsettling or depressing.  Personally I find it incredibly liberating.  For me, accepting the reality of this limitation has allowed me to thoroughly cherish what I do learn and understand.  I recognize that every effort to perceive God will always be partial, no matter how insightful.  This offers the freedom to consider a variety of sources, gleaning what seems true, and rejecting what seems erroneous.  I have yet to find any teachings that I feel compelled to fully embrace (although I thoroughly enjoy the Tao Te Ch’ing).

Does this mean that we should give up the search altogether?  Of course not!  If someone offers me a piece of cake, I don’t refuse it because I’m not allowed to eat the whole cake.  I gratefully accept the portion that is offered.  If I am among friends, I may ask for a second piece, and if someone suggests that I take some home, you can count on me gladly accepting the offer.  I feel the same way about enlightenment.

I think we all just need to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the process of discovering what we can about the cosmos and our place in it.  I have discovered a great freedom and joy in merely following a path of illumination as it is presented to me.  There is an old Buddhist saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will come.”

We Just Want To Know

Humans have three seemingly inseparable characteristics that both amaze and baffle me.  I am amazed by our insatiable desire to know everything that could possibly be known about virtually anything.  Of course, curiosity is not limited to humans.  Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat has witnessed unbridled curiosity.  Especially as kittens, they can spend hours exploring and investigating the world around them.  This tendency appears in the young of most animals to one degree or another and is probably related to some sort of survival instinct.  Humans, however, have this characteristic in spades.  This is aided by our ability to conceptualize what we want to know and communicate to others what we have learned. 

The results of these abilities are incredible.  At this point, we have pointed the Hubble telescope into the heavens and seen galaxies billions of light years away.  We have developed viable theories about quantum physics and appear to understand the very essence of the phenomenal world.  We have developed marvelous technology that enables doctors to work miracles and the average person to instantly communicate with someone on the other side of the planet.  Our potential to learn and apply that knowledge in practical ways seems limitless.

Nevertheless, what absolutely baffles me are the two evil step-sisters of our desire to know, a need to be “in the know” and a need to be “right” about everything.  Hundreds of years ago it seems that the desire to be in the know was typically concentrated in the village busy-body/gossip.  As technology grew, this tendency broadened.  No doubt the day after the printing press was invented the local newspaper was printed sporting a brand new gossip column.  When cell phones became prevalent, people could be seen all over the place with a phone glued to their ear.  Now we have the social networks providing voluminous information about the minute details of people’s lives. 

I think that the social networks can be a wonderful tool.  In fact, I have a Facebook account.  But please, do we really need to know that your dog just pooped on the rug, or that you are dying to have a Dr. Pepper, or what color shoes you just bought?  For those who want to be in the know, this is a golden age.  However, I suspect that before long we will be hearing about a new condition requiring professional therapy, social network obsessive disorder (SNOD).  Its chief symptoms will be a failure to perform normal daily activities due to excessive use of the computer and an inability to relate to other humans in a face-to-face setting.

Although satisfying the desire to be in the know can consume a great deal of time and energy, it is relatively harmless.  The same cannot be said about the other step-sister.  Those who always want to be right range from merely being abrasive to being lethal.  The root of the problem is that too frequently people are unable to distinguish between fact, belief and opinion.  While it may be possible for someone to be right about facts, right or wrong, people are entitled to their own beliefs and opinions unless they lead to behavior that infringes on the rights of someone else.  Yet beliefs and opinions are the areas that generally cause the greatest conflicts.

An insistence on being right runs the gamut of our social relationships.  At the personal level, this tendency can strain or even sever friendships and family ties.  Within a society, it can lead to the thought police insisting that we be PC in our speech.  At the governmental level, it can lead to oppression and even war.  Even a casual review of history and current events will produce an inordinate list of conflicts related to this inclination.

It seems to me that this problem is related to some sort of personal insecurity.  Is it possible that people like this need others to agree with them in order to establish their sense of worth?  Or, is their concept of the world so rigid and fragile that conflicting opinions will cause their house of cards to tumble?  It’s hard to tell what the underlying cause is, but the phenomenon is ubiquitous.

It would be wonderful if we could pass a law that prevented people from insisting on being right about everything, but we would have to convince the majority of the legislators that we were right about passing the law, and implementing it would be a nightmare.  That just sounds like way too much work.  So, as I share my observations, I’m just going to look out for that tendency in myself and not insist that I am right.  This is merely an invitation to consider what is presented here. 

I’m pretty sure that I’m right about that.

In the Beginning

The name of this blog reflects an ancient parable that originated in India.  Over the years it has taken on many forms, but basically it goes like this.

Several blind men were once brought to encounter an elephant for the first time.  As they approached, the first man began to examine the elephant’s trunk and declared that an elephant is like a great snake.  The next encountered the tusk and proclaimed that an elephant is like a wonderful spear.  As one man examined the ear, the elephant was determined to be like a large leathery blanket.  The one who grasped the leg assured his companions that an elephant was, in fact, like a great tree.  The next passed his hands over the enormous side of the elephant and insisted that it was like a great wall.  The last man took hold of the elephant’s tail and was certain that an elephant was like a rope.

Each of the men insisted that his perception was the right one and declared the others to be absolutely wrong.  The debate grew into a heated argument with each man growing louder and more insistent about the truth of his opinion and the error of the others.  Finally, the elephant grew tired of the tumult and wandered off, leaving the blind men to argue about the nature of an elephant.

Initially, this parable was probably intended to illustrate the foolishness of debating various religious persuasions.  However, this analogy could just as easily be applied to any complex issue where there are differing opinions.  Too often limited perspective, huge egos, and a need to be “right” override dialog, cooperation, and humility. 

I would like to rewrite the end of this parable like this:

As the elephant turned to walk off, the men were all exposed to a different part of the elephant and realized that their initial assumptions were limited.  With a genuine desire to learn from one another, they all began sharing what they each knew about the elephant, and before long, each one had a complete understanding of what an elephant is really like.

I am just naïve enough to believe that open and honest dialog can resolve the majority of our conflicts, lead to a more complete understanding of reality, and possibly enable us to develop a sustainable planet.  It is my intention to share my perceptions as I hang on to my little part of the elephant.