SUCH CLAIMS (February 23, 2008)

We do not like this or do not do that. And we assure ourselves, as well as others, of such things whenever an opportunity arises. By and by, we become convinced of what we do not like and what we do not do. We proudly identify ourselves with such claims. We become one with them. On a rare occasion, we change our story. Out of the blue, we discover that one of the things we do not like is actually quite likable. Or that one of the things we do not do is, in fact, quite a joy doing. We are surprised at first, and we even admit it to those who are close enough, but we keep insisting that everything else about us is exactly the same. We do not like this or do not do that. Minus that something we just changed our minds about, that is. But imagine suddenly dropping all such claims. Every single one of them. Imagine starting to like and do absolutely everything in one fell swoop. If this ever happened to us, would we recognize ourselves in the mirror? Would we even remember our own names?