An unfortunate one is a rootless ghost,
His walk a mad angel's gait,
Insolvent steps of one thrown from
heaven
To toil in red dust,
As if he had not had enough
In a thousand previous lifetimes.
Where is his heart? Where is his soul?
To call this heaven's will
Is a cheap answer.
There once was a god who committed a crime. His punishment was to be thrown back to earth to suffer the misfortunes of being human.
When you see those less fortunate than yourself, whether they are the homeless on the streets or simply not beautiful or unpopular, can you be sure that they are not like that god flung back to this mad planet?
Is their misfortune their own fault? Or do you explain with references to morality, destiny, reincarnation, and cosmic justice? Even the words of saints offer no relief for their suffering, so it hardly seems fair to blame them.
Let us not hold ourselves above our fellow human beings, no matter how great the disparity. To withhold your scorn is already beautiful. To see how we are all of one family is compassion.
unfortunate
Deng Ming-Dao
365 Tao
Daily Meditations
ISBN: 0.06.250223.9
Taoist Meditation: Unfortunate
