Nothing Less

Life is not accomplishing some special work but attaining to a degree of consciousness and inner freedom which is beyond all works and attainments. "That is my real goal. It implies becoming unknown and as nothing." T. Merton

A life unshackled. A life free from all sorts of attachment and their attendant miseries. A life devoid of masks and pretensions. A life spontaneously lived. A life which is not to be confused with the many role playing one has to forcibly be engaged as he tackles the multiple demands of everyday living at various levels and in different capacities. One, however, that must also be not equated with merely "breathing."

Inner freedom is that state of being in which one, free from all selfish pursuits, ambitions, wants and the cumbersome urge to accumulate and acquire, enjoys doing and fulfilling all the good he wishes with sheer abandon knowing that everything is God's work in, through and with him, and he, a mere participant in this grand, divine project. He sees no need for affirmation on whether he is doing it right or not. Nor does he crave for anyone's nod of approval. It is so because for him, the only thing that matters is the awareness of his being constantly under the watchful gaze of He who truly is in charge.

To have inner freedom is to be liberated from the bad habit of losing sleep over thinking of where one is to scrounge his next meal. It is having the surety of finding nourishment on the table just as he was instructed to pray for it from the One who unfailingly provides our daily bread.

It does sound angelic, even unearthly, to be aspiring for this way of living. But to desire anything less is to demean the original intent for which we were made.