Jerry Banfield

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu says I alone am nothing which at first of course offended me. I wanted to say I AM TOO SOMETHING ALONE but the more I thought about it, the more I saw that it is impossible to even define ME without having others. As a husband, father, friend, family member, video producer, teacher, and whatever else you want to call me, I see each of these roles requires others to be defined. If you take away everyone else, I alone am nothing. Why is this so helpful for me to remember in everyday life? When I think about WHAT I WANT I am essentially completely wasting my time. In others, I can see my purpose but trying to seek what I alone want has guided me so often into unhappiness. Happy human beings seem to consistently focus on their connections and service with others while those unhappy usually seem to feel without belonging. Today I am grateful to feel I do belong because my life’s purpose becomes clear in being of service to you. My exercise for today is to notice wherever I am t