Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Maybe it was hidin’ out from the fierce winds that insisted on bruising my sensibilities yesterday, or maybe I was trying to deflect the psychic import of incessant violence that is being reported here and there. Whatever it was, I found myself ruminating about Teilhard de Chardin, the French Jesuit Priest, philosopher and anthropologist (he helped to discover Peking Man, if I’m not mistaken).

I started reflecting on some of his writing, especially his recounted trips through China’s great Gobi desert in search of prehistoric habitation sites. Try as I might, two quotes kept coming back to me, phrases that have probably shaped who I am more than many another word. Please, do not be offended by my offering them here: Matter is spirit moving slowly enough to be seen and someday after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity we shall harness for God the energy of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world we will have discovered fire.

While I, personally, am quite sure about the accuracy of quote one, after all, who hasn’t been stopped dead in his or her tracks by a sunrise or sunset, marveled at a hummingbird, Red Racer or Red Tail, or sunken their nose into a Mr. Lincoln or fresh peonies? However, I am always questioning the energy of love. There are palpable examples of this force – I know there are invigorating examples for me – in children’s smiles and snatches of beautiful writing, honest repartee or singing in a choir; yet, that energy often seems not to openly exist for others. Or, if it does exist for them, if this energy does make them tick, most folks don’t seem too willing to give credit where it is due. Over the years, I’ve kept asking myself, why or why not?

Well, yesterday I had a breakthrough of sorts; maybe we just won’t master forces of the universe on our own, without guidance, belief, faith and inspiration … without love, itself. Maybe, it’s not splitting the atom of wisdom, so to speak, but synthesizing it; fusing the parts in to a grand new wisdom, a deeper understanding of who we are individually and as a race. So, now I’m off to chew on some more tough stuff, loving every minute of it and the atmospheric calm that has settled around the desert today. Peace.