We are all One here.
We are all One on this tiny, spinning, blue and white planet,
This rocky “goldilocks” planet, at just the right distance from its sun,
This planet of earth, water, fire, and air,
This planet surrounded by an invisible skin of just the right gases
To foster carbon-based, oxygen- and carbon-dioxide breathing life,
And protect against overly intense, ultraviolet radiation.
We are all One, on this planet with its own moon
At just the right distance
To pull the oceans’ tides to and fro,
In just the right way to gestate
Living beings everywhere on Earth.
This planet with just enough magnetism
And just enough gravity
For life as we know it.
We take this all for granted mostly, without thought of our bounty,
Of the blessedness of our simply being alive and breathing
And conscious here.
We are all One.
We are all riders on this sacred, blessed planet, orbiting our sun
In the outer reaches in the outback of the Milky Way.
We see ourselves as separate–
Separate from each other,
Separate from the kingdoms,
Mineral, plant, and animal,
Even though our scientists can trace
Our physical kinship with
And our physical dependence on
These kingdoms–
We see ourselves as separate,
Even though we share with the animal kingdom
So much of our DNA
And even though our physical bodies
Are composed literally of elements
From the mineral kingdom
And even though the very sustenance of our lives
Rests upon the abundance of the plant kingdom.
We see ourselves as separate,
Separate from our Source, our Creator.
Separate, alienated, alone.
We are all One.
We each come with our own history of private pain and suffering
And we each have experienced joy and elation,
The polar opposites of our human experience.
Our minds crave stimulation and fear stillness and silence.
We drift seemingly alone in our own prisons of illusion.
We resist being alone with ourselves
And we distract ourselves with every new toy that comes along
To avoid our true work-
The work of knowing ourselves-to Know who we Are.
We are all One.
Each of us in a human body, if being truthful with ourselves,
Can recognize this human condition, this dilemma of being human.
The moment we recognize, the moment we admit to ourselves,
And the moment we yearn for greater meaning,
We are already moving
Along a trajectory toward the Light.
How could it not be so, for we are all One.
In the moment that you, that we
Become aware of this–in the moment of Realization,
We finally must Know . . .
Know that we are pathfinders,
That we have become light bearers,
Novices though we are,
And responsible to and for
The many who will see our light or its reflection.
The candle flame lights another candle,
Empowers another soul to take
The first steps out of despair,
Out of disillusionment, out of separation,
Out of the prison of illusion.
We have become the keepers of the flame,
Just as those on whose shoulders we all stand
Were pathfinders and light bearers before us–
Until our legs were strong enough,
Until our minds were clear enough,
Until our emotions were gentle enough
To make our way out of the darkness and into the Light.
Until we were ready to truly love ourselves.
Until we understood, experienced, and realized
That we Are all One.
Our work Here,
On this beautiful Earth
Is for ourselves
But it is also for humanity
And for all beings.
© 2011 Carol Stall