#102, October 16, 2002
Why does the rose have thorns? A poet might say that the barb and the
blossom together reflect the bittersweet nature of love. A biologist could
assert that the thorns discourage ungulates from browsing a woody perennial
past the point of regeneration.
Okay. Then how many thorns does the rose need? The poet is mute, lost
in the fragrance. The biologist answers: enough to survive. Too few thorns, and
the yaks eat around them, chomping that species into extinction. So then, why
aren’t the stems completely covered with thorns? Why not maximize protection
against those ravenous yaks? Bio-man explains that every thorn has a price,
consuming nutrients and energy that could otherwise make root, leaf, blossom,
fruit. The successful rosebush finds the right balance.
Oh, but were humans like the roses! Last week, our Congress voted to
support our President in his call to war, to spread a rash of thorns. A wise
approach aimed at long-term survival and prosperity of our species would not
have us forever withdrawing resources and energy from creative processes --
feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, healing the earth– and channeling
them into war. If America was a rose, it would seem we are growing thorns
even on our blossoms.
And thorns are sprouting in Petaluma. Two of our City Council
candidates, both known for having a long-term, ecological perspective on City
issues, have been subjected to harsh attacks. One not-so-gentle man stood
before Janice Cader-Thompson and accused her of abusing City resources by
incurring large cell phone costs when she was stranded in Washington DC on
9-11. (I experienced a similar treatment from this fellow a few years ago. He
tried to sabotage a volunteer-based sustainability education program by telling
the School Board not to let me into classrooms because I had a hidden,
insidious political agenda.)
These local thorns have gone malignant in attacking Matt Maguire. It’s
bad enough that his signs have been torn down and torn up all over town; that
“Fire Maguire” signs were glued to his wife’s car and a door at City Hall; that
he and his wife have suffered late night “drive by shoutings”. There’s even a
bumper sticker that says “Stop Saddam, Maguire, and Cader-Thompson.” But the
worst was the late-night obscene phone calls.
Maguire first responded by asking the person’s identity. When the caller
responded with obscenities, Maguire called him a coward and hung up. The next
time Maguire was prepared, and took a different approach: he asked the caller
questions. Maguire asked him why he was so angry, what was it that he wanted.
This took the man aback, but Maguire persisted. Finally, the man sputtered,
“Fill the f****** potholes!”
Maguire calmly explained what the City was doing about street repairs.
The man, still upset but now speaking rationally, asked Maguire why he had
voted to eliminate some of the parking spaces on Water Street. Maguire
explained his decision, and invited the man to get involved with the people who
were helping the City plan the Water Street redevelopment. This time, the
caller hung up… proving that the best defense against thorns is not always more
thorns.
This brings to mind a dream I had a few weeks ago. I encountered a man
roughly my age who was clearly "the enemy," and I recoiled, filled
with a burning hatred. Then I remembered the book on my nightstand, Eknath
Easwaren’s “The Way of Love.” Through a modest exertion of will, I flipped some
internal switch, and the hatred turned into love and compassion (my, what we
can do in dreams!).
But here’s the "kicker." As soon as the switch was flipped, I
felt a tremendous weight lifted from me. It was as if a massive energy leak had
been plugged, and the energy was now filling me like a balloon. I thought,
“Hate was heavy. Love is light!” With the most wonderful sense of ease and
grace, I walked back to the man to talk with him about our problems.
So I say to all who are burdened by thorns: lighten up and smell the
roses!