Today, during my morning walk, I passed the familiar little oak grove and enjoyed the acorns hanging from the branches. I remembered how my father once put an acorn in the ground and we watched in amazement as a small tree slowly grew from it. The sun shone, the water rippled, the trees rustled. What beauty, I thought. Despite everything, this world is still beautiful. And this beauty is worth fighting for.
Walking among all that splendor, it’s easy to think it’s there just for you. But it’s not “yours,” you are part of it. Yes, I thought, but why are we responsible for this world then? Why should I be more responsible than that duck who gets to float there all day?
And the answer, of course, is: power. How much power does that duck have? A rat can eat its baby ducks. But that rat can also be eaten by the heron. So the power is kind of balanced there. But we humans have worked our way up to the top of that structure through careful evolution. There’s little we don’t have power over in our tangible world. And where our physical power doesn’t suffice, we supplement it with deadly weapons. And that’s going great, yay! We don’t have to fear anyone anymore, only each other.
The point is: power comes with responsibility. If you’re in a position where you have power, then you have a responsibility. To use that power safely. To help the whole, not just yourself and your clan.
That’s why most of us hate politicians. Because they’re largely unsafe. Or they’re a bit safer, but not as powerful. And that bunch is supposed to solve everything for us?
These kinds of thoughts create such an enormous sense of powerlessness. As if we’re like that duck – sitting ducks. I think this powerlessness is a huge problem in our society. And talking about it doesn’t help. Because the cause won’t just go away.
What does help? This, I think: simply seeing where your own power lies. No matter how small, you have power. The trick is to see it in your daily life. In all your choices, big and small. In all your actions and reactions.
I’m beginning to understand why Buddhists aren’t allowed to kill insects. What gives you the right to casually crush that spider? If you approve of that, isn’t that, in principle, comparable to approving the casual slaughter of your fellow human beings? “No, that’s quite different.” But is it? If you consider the whole picture?
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