2. The second aspect of our mistaken belief is that we think we are separate from the world and from other people. We believe that the world and other people are out there and that we exist independent of them in our own little sphere. We live our life as if there is a wall around us, as if we could contain our existence in a tiny little cocoon.

We forget that the air we breathe comes from trees and the sun and the water, all coming together in a magical dance of interdependence of which we are very much a part. We forget that other people created the sidewalks we walk on, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear. We forget that we all come from the same biological fabric, that our very existence comes from other people, and that we depend on others every minute of every day of our life.

We forget that other people need love and understanding to the exact same degree as we do, and we shut them out. We lose touch with the reality that our happiness is dependent on the happiness of others, so we sequester our pleasure and our joy into the domain of our four walls. But this illusion keeps us separate not only from other people, but at the end of the day it separates us from the very joy and happiness we seek.

To be continued…

By Craig Mollins