A Prayer

No Man Is An Island

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

John Donne

 

 

~

Beautiful words from John Donne and words that have always struck me deeply - conveying so well the truth of our connection from soul to soul and body to body. Indeed we are each part of the whole that is the making of everything. Years ago during the rots that occurred after the O.J Simpson trial spiritual leader Eknath Easwaren urged his students to refrain from feeding into and off of the media storm that followed. It wasn't a wish to not be involved - for as John Donne vividly points out we have no choice but to be involved - we are connected to the whole. No, what Easwaren wished for was for less attention to the story and more attention to the individual, to the victims and as in the case with the recent Connecticut  shooting of children we are all victims for their horror and pain and anguish are surely our own - we suffer for their suffering and our hearts extend to theirs. I won't comment on the story - no social commentary - I will only join in prayer for and to all those touched by this tragedy. We are each diminished by this loss and share in the pain of all those touched by this senseless act of violence. May we send love, send peace and above all our prayers for those in need of comfort.

 

God Bless,

Eric