Linked to Everything
Garry Cook, M.Div, LCSW
Years ago, wolves and a few other predatory species existed in Yellowstone. Well meaning people thought it a good idea to get rid of these harmful and dangerous predators in the 1930s and then felt quite satisfied with their great accomplishment. But because the greatest predators were eliminated, the elk and deer populations exploded. Just looking at those huge herds, we might have been compelled to congratulate ourselves on helping those “preyed upon” to survive so well. However, the deer and elk so overpopulated Yellowstone that they were eating up all the food and began to starve. Part of their diet included the leaves of trees which they consumed completely, and the trees began to die while elk and deer starved. Then birds also disappeared because they had no safe places to nest. Because dead trees could not take deep root and hold the soil, that erosion became severe. And ultimately, even rivers changed their courses leaving some areas previously with water sources now without water. All of this occurred because of the close interconnections of the life and structure of Yellowstone. But in fact, everything in the universe is linked.
We share with the entire universe the fact that we are God’s creation. That is the link we have to everything: rocks, dirt, trees, grass, microbes, bugs, elk, and people. We often hear elevations of humans as the pinnacle of God’s creation, and scripture is cited to prove the point. But that being true, does not detract from the truth that we are a part of creation, and God called ALL of it good. In that way, we are similar to everything else, whatever that something is. Scientists tell us that the atoms that make up the elements that make up our bodies came from stars. When stars supernova, they explode so violently that they force atoms together in the form of elements that make up our world and ourselves, elements we take for granted. So in death, we return those elements and atoms to the earth to be used again. “From dust we came; and to dust we shall return.” In death, our bodies are broken into their chemical constituents. Those chemicals are worth about $17 with most of the value being attributed to phosphorus and calcium. We are stardust…about $17 worth. And to that dust we shall return.
Buddhists see individual persons as part of the same fabric as the rest of the universe, in Christian terms, the created order. As such, the observable space between me and a rock, but especially between me and you, is an illusion. We are of the same fabric. If I and the earth are of the same fabric, to harm the earth is to harm myself. More importantly, if you and I are of the same fabric and sharing in the spirit of God, why would I ever harm you? To harm you is to harm myself…and everyone else. So, if I couldn’t muster enough love to treat you well, certainly I should easily be able to muster enough selfishness to keep myself well through my behavior toward you. That is, if we have good sense.
My psychotherapy trainers and my therapist told me that if I know myself very well in all dimensions, I would generally know everyone else. Our development in the world, while shaped by our culture, is, generally speaking, very similar to that of everyone else. Elementally, physically, psychologically and spiritually we are very much like the rest of the world. We even share large segments of DNA patterns with animals. We cannot exist without bacteria. Viruses help to control killer bacteria. All this renders those “us vs. them” arguments meaningless. It’s all US! God has linked us to everything and everyone, even to Godself.
Blessed are we who have ears to hear and eyes to see.
