If you think you’re here to help “others,” you probably choose to believe that you have a talent, a knowledge, a resource or a desire that perhaps an “other” does not.
You perceive that what you have will BENEFIT others.
Based upon what, exactly?
Your own PERCEPTION of what you have.
And . . .
Your own PERCEPTION of others.
How can you be certain that your perception of others isn’t all twisted because of your own warped (quite possibly delusional) beliefs?
You can’t.
But it doesn’t matter.
Or does it?
10/17
The Mirage of Helping Others
What a quixotic adventure, this notion of helping “others.” Within this framework, we presume a division between the helper and the helped, assuming a benefactor role. This division is a narrative constructed out of our own perceptions. We think we possess something—wisdom, resources, skills—that others lack, and we act from this perceived higher ground.
The Paradox of Perception
Yet, this platform from which we attempt to assist is erected on our own perceptions, a shaky foundation of possible distortions and misconceptions. The perceptions themselves can be whimsical splatters of color on the kaleidoscopic canvas of our inner universe—subject to interpretation and illusion.
The Question of Certainty
Can we ever truly be certain that our perceptions are not askew, shaped by our own potentially skewed beliefs? No, we cannot. Our subjective reality is a blend of our unique experiences, cognitive schemas, and emotional colorations. We are, in essence, painting our own version of a constantly changing scenery; a moving, flowing riverscape, if you will.
The Matter of Importance
Does it matter? This question is the fulcrum on which our narrative teeters. If we accept that our perceptions are flawed, or at least limited, then the act of helping others becomes a fluid endeavor, one imbued with a touch of humility and caution. If it doesn’t matter, then we proceed unblinkingly, as though our map of reality is the definitive guide for all terrains.
The Ethereal Geometry of Help
Ultimately, our desire to help and be helped is an integral part of the divine interplay, a dance of ethereal geometry. We shape and are shaped by these interactions, even as we question the ground on which we stand.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We ponder the concept of helping “others,” questioning the solidity of the perceptions and beliefs upon which such actions are based. We consider the uncertainty that clouds our judgment and the significance, or lack thereof, this has on our interactions. We conclude that despite these ponderings, the act of helping is a part of the grand tapestry of existence.
Glossarium
- Quixotic Adventure – A journey or endeavor that is romanticized but likely impractical.
- Whimsical Splatters – Random elements that color our perspectives.
- Riverscape – A metaphorical landscape that is ever-changing.
- Fulcrum – A pivotal point around which something turns or balances.
- Ethereal Geometry – The intangible but significant connections we form with others.
The only way to deal with this life meaningfully is to find one’s passion and put everything into it.
– Paul Coelho
Free-Verse Poem
We dance in quixotic spheres,
Whimsical splatters on soul’s canvas,
Riverscape twisting, a story unfolds,
Fulcrum shifts, perception molds.
Ethereal geometry, a divine plan,
We help, we hinder, yet still, we stand.
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