Seeing is not thinking.
For many years, I have learned to think well. There are many beautiful and persuasive thoughts to contemplate. But a thinker can still get really stuck in his philosophies and ideals. If I can be so persuasive and eloquent, what prevents me from being able to love and being loved?
There’s a strange thing to notice that when Buddha approached a new disciple to point out the way, he said: “Ehipassiko!” (aka Come and see for yourself!) Why didn’t Buddha say: “Come and follow me!” or “Come and believe me!” or “Come and do what I tell you!” ?
Seeing is a direct understanding, individually experienced. When you see for yourself what is really going on and get it, you can not transfer what you see to another. The best thing you can do is to invite that one to come and to see for himself. Once you see, you know it. When you see, your whole world as you know is rocked and collapsed and disillusioned. You wake up in both horror and gratitude.
Out of seeing born empathy. It’s effortlessly born. It has no other choice.
So, how can one see for himself?
I don’t really know. The moment I see for myself something tend to come after many terrible mistakes, pains and tears. It’s said pain is the price paid for freedom. And pain includes pain that you inflict on yourself and on others. You see that you were once both perpetrator and victim of your own many dramas. Wow!
So I pray, pray and pray that if I fail to see, please slap me hard with truth. But life is so kind, my dear friend has done a wonderful way to open this stoic ruthless heart, she told me simple words: “I miss you, my friend!”
You know love may sometimes make you cry
So let the tears go, they will flow away
For you know love will always let you fly
How far a heart can fly away — Enya
Be patient with yourself and be patient with everyone.
We all need to come to see for ourselves…
“A weed is but an unloved flower!
Go dig, and prune, and guide, and wait,
Until it learns its high estate,
And glorifies some bower.
A weed is but an unloved flower!
All sin is virtue unevolved,
Release the angel from the clod —
Go love thy brother up to God.
Behold each problem solved.
All sin is virtue unevolved.”
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
