5 x14, oil on canvas
our vision of the world indeed grew clearer.
That clarity, paradoxically enough,
blurred our previous distinctions between me verses we,
inner transformation verses external impact,
and selfishness verses selflessness.
They were inextricably connected.
When a poor farmer gave me a tomato as a parting gift,
with tears rolling down his eyes,
was I receiving or giving?
When I sat for hours in silent meditation,
was the benefit solely mine or would it ripple out into the world?
When I lifted the haystack off an old man's head and carried it for a kilometer,
was I serving him or serving myself?"
Today's inspiration comes from Nepun Mehta, founder of the all volunteer organization called ServiceSpace.org. There are so many things to say about this man's work, but he says it more eloquently, so I will share his words. Using an acronym for WALK (Witness, Accept, Love, Know thyself) he explains the walking pilgrimage into India that he and his wife shared:
"As we walked (witnessed, accepted, loved) our vision of the world indeed grew clearer.
That clarity, paradoxically enough,
blurred our previous distinctions between me verses we,
inner transformation verses external impact,
and selfishness verses selflessness.
They were inextricably connected.
When a poor farmer gave me a tomato as a parting gift,
with tears rolling down his eyes,
was I receiving or giving?
When I sat for hours in silent meditation,
was the benefit solely mine or would it ripple out into the world?
When I lifted the haystack off an old man's head and carried it for a kilometer,
was I serving him or serving myself?"
And noting the importance of stepping away from the noise of the world (and the noise in our heads) he says:
"Our rational mind wants to rightfully ensure progress,
but our intuitive mind also needs space
for the emergent,
unknown and unplanned to arise...
a melody, after all,
can only be created with the silence
in between the notes."
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