What Is Not There

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;

It is the center hole that makes it useful.

Shape clay into a vessel;

It is the space within that makes it useful.

Cut doors and windows for a room;

It is the holes which make it useful.

Therefore profit comes from what is there;

Usefulness from what is not there.

-- Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - Chapter 11

I read Taoist and Zen philosophy for a reason, it makes sense to me.  There are stories that actually teach life and how to live in it.  I've heard people tell me that it makes little sense to them, and then I explain it.  Don't overthink it.  It was written so everyone can get something from it.  Philosophy reminds me of the biblical "Ten Commandments" in its simplicity, and then we write scripture to try and explain what was never difficult to understand.  We obfuscate the obvious.  The scripture is what's difficult, the Commandments were never meant to be.  Any scripture must be explained and the explanation depends on the hidden agenda of the clergy explaining it, the control a religious sect feels it has the right to exercise against its own congregation.  This is how good philosophy becomes corrupted.  I do not approve of organized religion.  However, the original philosophies behind peaceful religions, I have no issue with.  Bad leadership is the issue I have.  But, I digress.

The Tao Te Ching states, "Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub; It is the center hole that makes it useful. Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within that makes it useful. Cut doors and windows for a room; It is the holes which make it useful. Therefore profit comes from what is there; Usefulness from what is not there."  When people are confused about the Bible, I tell them to put it aside and pay attention to their heart, after all, the only true Word of God intended for us is what God handed down - the Ten Commandments.  The profit from scripture comes from what is there; the usefulness from what is not there.  The usefulness of anything comes from the intent.  The intent of a window is to see through it; the hub, a hole to put the axel into; the vessel, a void to fill with water and such; and as for scripture, the intent is faith.

Communication can be this way.  Communication is all about the intent, and often times the intent isn't as clearly obvious as it should be.  When we talk to people we need to listen for what isn't being said, in order to understand what they truly want us to hear.  The facade of a smile can hide pain within.

At 66 years of age, I am still learning.  I am learning that, as a young man, what I left unsaid to those I loved was also left unsaid by those who loved me.  We never knew our mutual love for each other existed.  How our lives might have been different; in some ways good, and in others not so much.  In someway our lives would have been richer, in others, children and grandchildren, with us now, would not have been born or, perhaps, have been born of different parents.  What was not there was honest communication.  The void was not filled, was not useful.

We hear, but we seldom listen, and when we listen, we seldom hear.  We hear when a noise occurs.  We hear better when our name is mentioned.  We selectively ignore until it concerns us, and then we listen and truly pay attention.  How selfish is this?

What makes me useful is what isn't there.  My hearing is shot.  This is useful in that I must truly pay attention to you and ask you to repeat what isn't heard and then repeat back to ensure I understand.  I ask questions and I'm corrected, constantly.  And, yet, everyone talks to me like I can hear them.  They selfishly do not speak up and feel free to continue this game.  It becomes aggravating.  I could get "hearing" aids.  Why?  They aren't called "listening" aids.  And, at this point, giving people an excuse to not speak up will not help my hearing.

When I worked in an office late one evening, one of the women came in and spoke to me in a low voice from the door.  I told her to come closer so I could hear her.  As she got closer, she began whispering.  Really?  What was the intent of you coming closer?  To fill the void with sound!

I was asked a question recently, about how to think out of the box.  Learn to pay close attention to what is not there.  Your methodology in the box is not solving the problem.  You have looked and decided your "toolbox" is missing what is needed to complete the task.  The entire point of thinking out of the box is because the solution you're looking for is not in the box.  Truly, you have made a decision that what you think is useful is not there.  The void must be filled from outside the box.  Now, go find it.  But, even thinking outside the box, you must use the same problem-solving methodology to find this "new tool" and fill the void in the box.  The new "tool" you seek might simply be an issue with your methodology.  Either way, the void becomes useful when it is filled with new information and or a better methodology, or both.

I often find what is useful is not there.  I find being alone is the most useful time I have.  What is not there is a distraction, and I fill that void with my mind.

And, yes, it is a very small void.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.