HANH TAT

This free-verse is linked to my post titled, ‘Who Are We?’:

Who am I? So simple a question, not so the answer.

So, who am I?

A devoted mother trying to raise her sons as best she can in these modern times.

A runner, a snowboarder, a climber, a surfer, an adventurer.

A thinker, a mathematician, an IT professional, a writer, a seeker of truth.

A dutiful daughter and sibling.

But wait, let’s stop there and rewind the tape.

Who was I before all of this? Who am I when all is laid bare and one by one, I strip away the pieces of my identity? Who would I be if I didn’t have this brain, if I didn’t have this body? If I didn’t have my children, my family, my work? Who would I be without all of that?

What is left when we peel away, layer by layer, all of the parts of us that we think make up who we are, our personality, our roles, our abilities and our achievements?

Well, nothing, I hear you say. Yes, the maths is simple. When we take away everything, we are left with nothing.

YET when we know the truth of our inherent nature, we know that in that nothing IS EVERYTHING.

In that nothing is the eternal presence of who we are, the part of us that has always been and will always be beyond this mortal coil, the part of us that is beyond form, our true abiding consciousness, simple and pure awareness whose natural state is love, joy and bliss.

In that nothing is the life-force energy that beats our beautiful magnificent hearts, our most blessed hearts which hold a power far greater than the sun, the power to know love and to be love.

In that nothing is the spark that provides the energy and desire to be the parent that we strive to be, which high-fives ourselves when our kids occasionally think we’re cool.

In that nothing is the pure love that embraces self-compassion when we occasionally forget our true nature and temporarily fall back asleep and act unconsciously.

In that nothing is the inspiration that allows a wellspring of creativity to erupt unabated when previously only logic and reasoning were present.

In that nothing is the passion, courage and fortitude that urges and spurs us to grow, to expand, to evolve and to share our unique gifts out into the world.

In that nothing is EVERYTHING.

Embrace your NOTHING to be your EVERYTHING.