A
long silence ensued, during which the author and his
interviewer covered their anxiety with small talk.
Finally the phone rang, and a woman began to describe a
powerful and spontaneous experience of the
interconnectedness and unity of all life. When she had
tried to share this understanding with her family, their
response was disappointing. Her frequent references to
it caused them to insist that she see her family physician,
who in turn referred her to a psychiatrist. She had
simply stopped talking about her experience then, although
she could remember it vividly and felt profoundly changed by
it. Her phone call was the first time that she had
generally shared it.
As
Samples puts it, "All at once the entire board lit
up. It became apparent that such glimpses are
commonplace. Once they realized that this sort of
experience might be normal, dozens of people were willing to
call in and talk about it."
Perhaps
there is a wholeness hidden in the world, and the experience
of separation that causes so much of our suffering is an
illusion. If the world is really one large elephant,
the wisdom may lie in holding your part loosely and loving
what you cannot understand. And in helping others,
here in the dark.
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