November 15th, 2019

11-14-19 Ruminations
                      
Dear Friends,
 
            On any given day, what is the diameter of the sphere of our thoughts?  How far out and all around do they go?  Every day, I experience spheres of many diameters; from the small sphere of focusing on what I need or what I need to do in the moment – such as writing a Rumination – to a larger sphere of, for instance, meditating on the state of the world, then to still larger spheres, such as the universe, life, death, spirituality, and God.
            The smaller spheres are encased in the larger ones. For instance, working backward, musing about God leads to reflections on spirituality, which lead to thoughts about life after death, then to wondering how to define life and death, and if life, intelligence, and consciousness can be separated.
             Further, such musing leads to wondering about parallels between the birth and death of stars and planets, etc., and birth and death as it relates to life throughout the universe.  Then, still working backward, thoughts turn to wondrous planet earth which is our home.  In turn, those reflections narrow to the world on the world – which is the world of living creatures, plants, humankind and nations, all of which depend on planet earth for survival.  To a substantial extent, all life depends on the good will of peoples and countries toward one another and toward the rest of the natural world.
            The world on the world is made up of countless, ever-changing communities of various sizes, conditions, and levels of poverty, wealth, and mutual care.  Then there are the communities made up of those smaller communities.
           Finally, there is the internal world of the human mind, how it gains information, how it motivates action, how it determines its value structure, how it regulates the body, and how it is impacted by its choices.
           How short or long is the diameter of your thought right now?
 
“...strive first for the kingdom of God and its righteousness…” – Matthew 6.33
 
                                                                        Blessings,
 
                                                                                    Jim