[Goanet]The Goanet Household

[Dommartin9]

November 9, 2003

For the memorable part, Goanet has been a hospitable household.

Occasionally, someone fails to shut the door to the elements, or does not heed, or slams it inconsiderately.  Other times, everyone appears to be acquiescent  to the congestive air and overlooks the need to force open a window or two and let some fresh air in.  And there are the times when some take the diligence to wipe their feet at the door mat while others simply bypass it, in their hurried anxiety to tromp in.  And on those rare occasions, the need arises to evict an unruly guest and no one wishes to gladly undertake that conscionable burden.  But it needs to be done so that harmony can be the viewpoint from the vantage seat of all in the household.

And there is, of course, the gnawing resentment when one person's baggage continues to take up all the space in the Living Room.  Or, when another's choice of food appears to be the only damning entree on the menu.  Similarly, there is no harm if someone goes about using a broom to deal with cobwebs, or if another goes about it to sweep the floor.   The harm becomes when one uses it as a domestic weapon to knock down religious icons and other social, cultural, ethnic or political artifacts.

But thankfully, we don't have to orbit the sun because unlike the planets, our lives have been calibrated for extinction, and possible reincarnation in someone else's galaxy.  So, while there is splendid purpose in drawing the curtain, or adding a skylight to elevate the mood in a room or in the household, there is no need to enforce the sun, lightning or thunder, if everyone is content with who they are in the galaxy of their own choices.

Also, we don't have to pass each other like ships at night, or overtake one another.  There is ample water for all of us to tread in at the same time, so long as we are mindful of our waves and wavelength.  There is ample need to listen and be heard, but there is no need to amplify that universal need into noise.  Often times, silence punishes more than the spoken or written word.  From that standpoint, we all need to be happy, feel hopeful and succeed, and no one can make us deserve any less without our consent.  More importantly, we don't need to denigrate the other in someone else's household.  We can honorably do so in our own household, on the premise of inviting the other for an eye to eye dialogue.

And why should it matter if one is a saint and the other a sinner?  That is no different from the argumentative rationale if God exists or does not exist.  What is essential is to be oneself in the scheme of all things, and to coexist in such a manner as not to threaten the other or be threatened by. 

Of course, this world would be a nudge better without the other, except, each of us are ourselves the very 'other' that we stand to conveniently, or inadvertently despise.  Therefore, if we can all graciously agree on accepting each other for who each is, there will be no need to modify the Goanet Household, or restructure it, or drastically alter the dimensions or peripherals of the existing doors and windows therein.

In summary:  What is presently there, is good enough, and it is incumbent on each of us to strive to keep it that way.

Dom Martin