Thursday, June 07, 2007

Puff



This may become the strangest blog entry I've ever posted, but I'm going to write it anyway.

A certain circle of friends have followed this bizarre little story for several months, so they'll understand. The rest of you, please try to keep up.

You may recall some dreams and spiritual insights symbolized by a phenomenon in nature known as a puffball. They contain some kind of spore, I think, and can endure extremes of temperature and drought. Somehow they became a metaphor related to the way evil replicates in the world. It feels natural to attack evil, but if a person tries to crush it, the puff will burst and hurl spores into the environment, spawning a new generation of evil.

Of course, it's only a metaphor. I don't really believe puffballs are evil. Somehow they're just teaching me a lesson about life and the universe.

Do we attack evil, or do we address it in some other way? What is the best way to stop the spread of suffering and evil in the world?

* * *

I found this particular puffball in the afternoon during my break. Strangely, I found it detached from its surroundings, but completely unharmed, ready and waiting to open onto the world. Oddly, it comes at an interesting time, as I am looking into my own shadows as a human being, and working to heal the darkness within me. I don't believe in accidents, so here we are. I'm confronted with teachings all around me.

2 comments:

  1. attacking evil makes us evil. it becomes a mirror in which we see ourselves in a new way. as in iraq. it is a shame most mormons thought attacking another country not only ok but correct! where did jesus teach this?
    beautiful pictures!

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  2. Thanks for the comment and the compliments. By the way, I'm beginning to learn something about not returning evil for evil. I think Jesus taught that, but somehow we've collectively forgotten...

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