As John Wheeler, one of the great theoretical physicists wrote, ‘Today we are beginning to suspect that there is a much more intimate tie between mankind and the universe than we hitherto suspected.’
David Bohm agreed with Einstein that ‘God [did]n’t play dice’: there must be some form of order underpinning the seemingly random behaviour of particles. In other words, there is an underlying wholeness, which he termed The Implicate Order.
As Jesus said, ‘We are all one.’
There is nothing that so clearly can enable us to grow in awareness that, as James has said ‘We are all one’, than the death of someone who has been dearly loved. At first there is the desolation of the reality, the deep sense of their absence when grief that can be overwhelming. Over time it can almost imperceptibly fill with a quiet reality of their continuing presence in our hearts. Somewhere in God’s creative Love, the ebb and flow of grief softens and gradually Grace gives us a way to grow from bud to flower to fruit, along side this new presence, freely, expanding rather than restricting our lives.
I am deeply thankful for what I have gained and been enriched by in the lives of those who have been lighthouses, signposts in my life, James among them: receiving the acceptance, wisdom, laughter, inspiration and encouragement to be a pilgrim on this journey of life. When I think of our growing understanding of communication between tree roots, of fungi etc, it is an inspiration! We are all one with creation that, like us, needs all those gifts in order to thrive as one with us.
On what is a simply glorious winter morning in our part of Yorkshire, despite the very real suffering so clearly visible in our world, I give thanks for love’s patient Presence, and offer prayer for our way forward – together.
Diana Blackburn
Thank you Diana for your words.
In Ireland February 1st is recognised as the first day of spring. I was thinking that James would have inspired me/us to create a ritual. Conscious of him I’ve been doing my best today here in Dorset. To celebrate.
Anna Ferris
Anna Ferris