Wednesday, April 19, 2006
The Weapons
Thank you all so much for your supportive comments on my last post. I have since decided to delete it from publication on my blog, as I don't really want to immortalize my bitterness. Life is too short to hold onto bitterness. Though it's fleeting expression in this space and your encouragement were invaluable during its duration.
In place of that old post, I want to share this story with you. It kind of relates to my recent experiences, but also relates to why I don't want to hold onto my bitterness. Not necessarily in terms of the situation in hand, but in terms of how I feel about myself and who I am.
This was a story I heard in a class today. I will be paraphrasing, so I may not get it perfect. This is a true story.
So there were researchers who wanted to research gorillas and understand what their lives were like. So they decided to spend some time living among them. The researchers, however, feared for their lives. So they decided to carry rifles with them. Although they thought they were open to getting to know the gorillas and understanding them, the rifles affected the way they interacted with the gorillas. The gorillas could sense the fear and hostility of the researchers. Eventually, as the researchers feared, a gorilla attacked them and a researcher fired.
Years later, a new researcher decided to try once again living among the gorillas. This researcher didn't believe the gorillas would harm him, so he didn't bring any rifles with him. He was able to live among the gorillas and get to know and understand them without ever being injured.
The moral of the story, of course, is that our reality is largely what we bring to it. If we step forward, rifle in hand, expecting an attack, we are likely to encounter one.
Of course, this is not always the case. Sometimes we are attacked at random.
But why carry around a big clumsy rifle?
I want to be open to life and free of weapons.
Though that doesn't necessarily mean that I will choose live among the gorillas. But I don't know yet how that part of the story ends.
In place of that old post, I want to share this story with you. It kind of relates to my recent experiences, but also relates to why I don't want to hold onto my bitterness. Not necessarily in terms of the situation in hand, but in terms of how I feel about myself and who I am.
This was a story I heard in a class today. I will be paraphrasing, so I may not get it perfect. This is a true story.
So there were researchers who wanted to research gorillas and understand what their lives were like. So they decided to spend some time living among them. The researchers, however, feared for their lives. So they decided to carry rifles with them. Although they thought they were open to getting to know the gorillas and understanding them, the rifles affected the way they interacted with the gorillas. The gorillas could sense the fear and hostility of the researchers. Eventually, as the researchers feared, a gorilla attacked them and a researcher fired.
Years later, a new researcher decided to try once again living among the gorillas. This researcher didn't believe the gorillas would harm him, so he didn't bring any rifles with him. He was able to live among the gorillas and get to know and understand them without ever being injured.
The moral of the story, of course, is that our reality is largely what we bring to it. If we step forward, rifle in hand, expecting an attack, we are likely to encounter one.
Of course, this is not always the case. Sometimes we are attacked at random.
But why carry around a big clumsy rifle?
I want to be open to life and free of weapons.
Though that doesn't necessarily mean that I will choose live among the gorillas. But I don't know yet how that part of the story ends.
Comments:
that is a beautiful story and reflects well on life in general I think. i think it is very accurate in your loce situation as well... you shouldn't bring a gun on a date when you are starting a relationship where the man says he is going to bail.
Like Debra, I thought of the movie Grizzly Man and how a rifle might have come in handy.
Debra's question is interesting.
Debra's question is interesting.
How fun to get so many comments. You all had such great thoughts and insights. As to the question posed by Debra & Jenny - I have been known to be both at times - at times the vulnerable, unassuming gorilla weary of the man with the gun as well as the kick-ass girl with a boat-load of ammo in her backpack. ;-) Not literally, of course.
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