Before the last U.S. presidential election in 2004, *What Is
Enlightenment?* magazine posed the following query to five religious
leaders: "Many people argue that the upcoming presidential election is the
most important in our lifetime. Do you agree?"
Four of the respondents said, in effect, "Yes, because George Bush is bad
for America and the world."
But the fifth religious leader, Zen Buddhist Jan Chozen Roshi, replied, "I
don't know. Our existence is so short, it's like a dust mote in the eye of
God. To say that the time in which my dust mote existed was the most
important is a self-centered view."
Roshi's wisdom reminded me of an anecdote told by Henry Kissinger, an
American politician who was Secretary of State in the 1970s. Kissinger
once asked Chinese premier Zhou Enlai what he thought of the French
Revolution, which had happened two centuries earlier. "Too soon to tell,"
Chou answered.
I always like to keep these ideas in mind, even in times of relative peace
and calm. But I'm especially fond of focusing on the *very* big picture
when divine chaos is whirling around -- like now. It helps keep me humble,
and discourages me from any temptation I might have to believe I know
the Whole Truth about anything, let alone about the mysterious long-term
processes at work in the evolution of the human race.
There's another factor that makes me cautious about getting embroiled in
partisan politics and the narrow-minded hostility that fuels it. One of my
main goals in life is to love everyone with passionate intensity -- no
exceptions. Not just the people I find beautiful and helpful and interesting
and attractive. But also the people I don't like and the people who don't
like me and the people I disagree with and the people who can't or won't
do anything for me.
In order to become the gorgeous genius I aspire to be, in order to fulfill
the unique destiny I came to Earth to embody, I have to hold EVERYONE
in my heart with compassion and empathy. As I contemplate how every
single part of creation is interconnected, I've got to be aware that the
creatures I'm allergic to and inclined to feel alienated from are also part of
the great web of life.
That's my spiritual goal; it's essential to awakening my best self and
cultivating an intimate connection to Spirit. It's also my selfish goal; it's
critical to my physical and mental health. Hatred always sickens me. Love
always invigorates me.