GUA 13 · TONG2 REN

The fellowship meets at the gate, sharing rumors and stories, pestering the visitors for news of a large world not very distant, getting big earfuls of wondrous reports, of a world of difference out there. Common cause is so easy here, but they start to poke their noses out into the larger world, not yet funneling out, not ranging far and wide. They begin to speak about going beyond and plan their first adventure, from the threshold of this gate to the first great shore, beginning to open to newer ideas. Some men devour their enemies, some eat their fallen comrades, while another tribe buries good meat in the dirt. This must be witnessed by someone! As a child leaves crib, a youth leaves home, a man leaves province, the sage leaves nations to embrace a whole earth and siblings across the great waters. But first is the first great shore.

Communities of interests not shared are not wrong, nor is seeking ground not held in common. Yes, others are different. And other races and cultures are different, even under their skin. But no more different than one of your eyes from the other, giving a disparity that allows a perception of depth. This fellowship admits only one clan. They only seek similarities to their own superior persons. Thus even their gods look like members. They will fashion and arm their devils from everything not their own. When they journey across the great water they drag the familiar along and make a big deal out of spreading their ways. They think of themselves as especially chosen and as given the only truth. But this is inbred and incestuous. And thus they spawn monsters while thinking to breed some superior race. Superior man is their sacrifice.

He really tried hard to find fellows among the others, but his trust is easily broken. In life one can reach out to many wrong someones. Imagine your view of the odds when this happens on the first trip beyond. It might take three years to come back. Suspicion mounts. When looking for possible enemies the suspects are everywhere; any divergence or slight disagreement means enmity. Thus he makes no loud noises, no demonstrations, no startled movements. But as safe as these years might be from attack, they are also silent, empty and joyless. Better to use those years up on the hill as time to ponder the broader horizons, the view from the top to look for better ways down and to learn what he thought was coldness was not really caring. Have three years been wasted? Not if one’s real opponents are now known as fear and mistrust.

(Is) due to being distressed and then revising the principles Equipped to face the great world with a courage and caution both learned at home, he takes the evening watch and climbs the town’s wall with his spears, more ready for encounters in the sense of self-defense. Scouting from above, awaiting some sign of foes to menace his line, his gaze keeps coming back to the grizzly band of tough looking nomads camped outside of the gate, scarred up, missing limbs and presumably teeth. They are probably telling insightful and humorous stories, but he hears only ominous mumbling. That’s a kerchief on the big one’s belt, not scalps. At least from up here he can watch how people behave, although this is less than the wealth of those stories. He dares not open the gate and invite them in to dinner. Going out would change him. Is he not a captive here, in this his own home town?

We are forced by our fate into fellowship and condemned to this earth with billions of parasites: the poor ones intrude on our pockets, sick ones intrude on our health, old ones discourage our lofty ambitions and dead ones remind us too much of time. Those with a different language or color are not much better than beasts. And only two men with bad will, armies and opposite views, can double all of these problems. Those who have crossed some great streams in their lives and longed for home from the far distant shores, know that these others are not the alien beings portrayed in the struggles for power. Some might think to ask: what or whose needs do the enemies serve? No social contract cannot be rewritten. No rules of engagement are sacred. Enjoying diversity overcomes differences better than making both sides the same.

Let’s end the debate with a compromise: Some of us evolved and some never did. Perspective softens frustration - great things take time in large portions. So today a few of the males rejoice with some of the females in the high mountain meadows and wide open fields. This world is not yet at peace, nor is humankind more than halfway evolved. No guarantees exist of continued human existence. The greatest truths are still mysteries. No creature comes down from the sky to right all wrong. Nor yet has the night sky returned a glad echo. The cosmos is quiet and still much too big. This tribe which has gathered this day is a marginal fringe on an uncharted ground. But the cult is the seed of a culture and humankind is best adapted to live in these small bands. Below in the meadow life embraces life. Good things begin.