Interdependency…

Yes, there is pretty much nothing in our existence that doesn’t rely, in some form, on something else for its existence and meaning. The only exception to this is that G-d is not reliant on other things, but as stated in an earlier post, G-d nevertheless appears to “choose” to take an active interest in his creation. The point of this aphorism is that we should not iconize any aspect of this physical world: even the most profound human experiences have dependencies and limits, without which their meaning and importance would be highly questionable. The interdependence of all things is what connects us—both on a practical and more “spiritual” level. Therefore, there is no one and nothing that exists in a vacuum, is too removed from our experience to escape scrutiny, or is not worthy of our attempt to understand and appreciate it. Here is one example of a situation in which this aphorism might be used:

Person 1: “Doctor, my life is perfect—no money problems, no deep emotional entanglements, no health issues, no existential angst. Problem is, I can’t shake this feeling of loneliness.”

Person 2: “Well, it’s all well and good that your life is going so well, but even miracles need witnesses…”