I am convinced of the one-ness of the universe, and our continuing eternal changing place in it. It is indivisible.

Why then are we born into this existence – thrown into it – with a boundary all around us?. Leastways, as tiny babies we don’t feel separate from our mother; yet alone-ness is the harsh lesson of “growing up”. Separated. Divided from others, and with a yearning to reach out for love and comfort across the boundary of our ego. To touch others and so re-experience the joy of connection and integration. This is fleeting though, at least for those of us who are not able to escape the prison of our embodied ego.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty gave us an insight. In early works (The Structure of Behaviour, The Phenomenology of Perception) he considered our embodiment as the way we become ourselves in the world. Reflecting that world whilst also creating it through that process of mirroring.

In his last work – the Visible and Invisible – he took embodiment further still. It take this to be a concept of the “flesh” (chaire) of all that is within which this mutual reflective creative process occurs.

I don’t understand the fine detail of what this all means, and I’d love to hear the views of others. However, it does seem to me that here is a kernel of the mystery. Perhaps rather than Visible and Invisible it could be – Divisible yet Indivisible?

Fortune

I was lucky because I had a stable loving family and 3 elder siblings

Misfortune

Alas, my siblings were all brothers, I was sent to a boys boarding school and so never understood girls. I thought they were were out of reach. On a pedestal and an object of physical desire.

(I didn’t realise that the urgent need was for real relationship).

My Mum was one of five sisters, so also was a little out of tune with little boys and girls and reality…

Miss Fortune

Isn’t it brilliant then that my wife and daughter and son (a gentle-man) have helped me.

If you keep hoping then good news finds you, Thank you Miss Fortune.