The Wall

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Sometimes

you put walls up

NOT
to keep people out

but to see
who cares enough

to break them
DOWN


~ socrates ~

WALLS, WALLS, EVERYWHERE

Walls, walls, everywhere. Here a wall, and there a wall. How many walls do you have in your life? How many have you constructed so far? And how many have you destroyed? Walls give us structure. They contain things. They protect us, and we like that.

Sometimes they restrict us or deny us, and of course, we don't usually like that. Walls are a necessity, and we could not live without them. Not for a minute. Without them, life would be complete chaos. How could the walls come tumbling down if there were none, to begin with?

Walls are useful things. And like most things, they have their yin and their yang components. We live within walls in our material reality. The walls of our houses and offices and the structures where we spend most of our lives. And we have all kinds of walls we create in our non-material existence. In our minds. We build walls to contain fears. To savor memories. To hide our innermost thoughts from others, and to keep outsiders where they belong, on the outside.

I am not sure anyone can live without them. They are a tool we use, the same as a pen, or a gun. At times, with positive intentions. Or maybe not. At other times, with positive results. Or maybe not. Make good use of walls. They are our friends when used properly.

Walls have been getting a bad rap lately. In politics, the 'WALL' is being portrayed by people to achieve their own ends, on both sides of the issue. It is a symbol, although few have spent the time discussing exactly what it represents. Having a wall would produce innumerable positive results, and arguably some negative ones as well.

The problem is with the conversation or the lack of one, and not being able to focus on the issue, instead of paying attention only to peripheral side issues and personal agendas. And what are the facts? Are facts even important anymore? There is only one truly sad fact here, and that is no one tries to determine any facts at all, and that 'fact' does not seem to bother anyone involved, on either side, politicians and citizens alike.

They only feel. They don't think. They say they believe in choice but refuse to allow you to have your own. They scream for freedom of speech, for themselves at least. None whatsoever for the opposition. They don't believe in government, and our process and procedures. They don’t believe in ‘Law‘. And the worst part is that they do not even believe in discussion and debate.

The only way to ever truly achieve resolution of any issue is through considered thought, which they refuse to do. To debate is to possibly be shown the error of their way, and they simply will not let that possibility or eventuality ever come to be. And that is to the detriment of all of our lives, and the future of our children. They have given up on the concept of America. If they even ever understood what that really was. They just 'feel' that it's the right thing to do, blindly fight for their feelings. They are tragically wrong, but once again, this is something to be discussed another time, another day.

What would we do without walls? Where would we put our stuff? And, boy, do we have stuff! We gots stuff coming out of other stuff. We have stuff coming out of the old wazoo. We got stuff we like and stuff we are not even sure where it came from. We are not even sure it is ours. Where did that stuff come from?

We have stuff we like so much we don't even want to touch it, so we put it up on shelves or in glass cabinets and cases. Stuff that needs to be fixed goes in garages, basements, and boxes. Stuff we are going to give away goes into another, different box, and some other stuff we intend to throw in the trash goes into yet another box until we ever do if we can bring ourselves to do so. And we need someplace to keep all that crap until we decide. To the rescue! More walls.

Let’s get that stuff organized. We use little walls in the form of those boxes we mentioned, suitcases, and furniture. We graduate up to bigger walls in closets and rooms. Garages and houses. Walls contain all that stuff. Protects it from abuse. Protects it from the elements. Protects it from walking away or being 'helped' to walk away.

The list goes on. And how about you? And your family. Without walls, where would you live? A house without walls is a gazebo. Not a great place to be during a blizzard when it is below zero. Walls take care of us as well. They allow us a heated environment. Protection. Privacy. Comfort. Stability. All those things simply because of a basic concept. Walls. And that does not even touch on the metaphysical walls, real or imagined.

Our psychic walls are even more complicated and numerous. And important. They also protect us from the elements, but not the weather. They protect us from the influence and intrusion of others and protect us from ourselves, our fears, and the unknown.

We contain things for privacy. We save them as treasures, just for ourselves, sometimes forever, or just until we are willing to share. It helps us to control our relationships, both with others and with ourselves. If everyone knew everything about everyone else all the time, there would be no mystery to our relationships, and our lives would be that much less interesting. An argument could be made as to the efficacy of relationships without lies and deceptions, but my life has always been built on asking questions. Exploring possibilities and the discovery of something new. A life without the ability to ask 'Why?' seems like a step backward on my path. Not particularly a good thing.

Walls create an environment of choice. We determine what we wish to confront, on what terms, and when. We choose who to let into our thoughts and our lives, and who to restrict or deny access. We choose what to confront within ourselves, as well as when, and even if.

We compartmentalize chaos and deal with it in our own time, and in our own way. We don't allow ourselves to be bombarded, relentlessly, with thoughts that perhaps, today, have no answers or resolutions, and would cause only confusion and frustration, but tomorrow, upon reflection, will present us with fresh options and conclusions.

Walls allow us to organize thoughts as we struggle with putting our philosophies in order so that they make sense as we take our next step. Walls are an integral facet of our sanity. They are a 'good thing'. Use them wisely and you are in control. If you do not understand their power, you risk the destructive outcome of indecision, lack of purpose, and losing your soul and your direction as you follow your path.

Walls can imprison as well as set you free. We can hide anything within walls of our own creation. But if we hide everything, we may cease to exist. For others, surely, and perhaps for ourselves as well. If everything is contained, sharing nothing, and hiding everything, there comes a point when there is no 'Me'. There is no 'I'. Isolation can be a good thing.

Being alone is time to develop and analyze. To contemplate. To move forward. To grow. Being alone gives you the time necessary to get to know yourself. To understand 'self'. And I am not sure which one is more important, but it gives you the time to fall in love with yourself, or better yet, to simply like yourself. Until you do, you are not going to be any good to anyone else, and you will have no value to the universe, as you are a soul with nowhere to go.

When you are finally comfortable with self, you can help, and teach, and show others how to grow as well, due to the enlightenment you have achieved. If you know nothing about self, you have nothing to offer another. You cannot help anyone, you cannot teach anything, and you cannot strive for fulfillment.

Build a positive wall today. Do it brick by brick. Bring down a negative one, the same way. Create an enclave against the pressures of life. Protect yourself. Resist creating your own prison.

President Ronald Reagan told Gorbachev to 'Take down that wall'. His actions were only the final straw that broke the wall, but an entire nation took a step toward freedom on that day. Unfortunately, those people had been building internal walls of self-preservation their whole lives. But a single step in the right direction is a smile on the face of life. We wish them well in their struggle within their own walls. It may never be an easy path, but their destiny is now of their own making.

As it is for me, and as it is for you.

As it is for all of us.

Lone Cypress Workshop  

The Conversation  

The Wall