There is a scene in the movie The Longest Days, about the 1944 invasion of Normandy, where one German and one American general each ask... "sometimes I wonder whose side God is on." This seems to miss the point about cause and effect. If everything is impermanent and interrelated at the same time consequences unfold through millions of conditions and variables. Hence when God is not on our side we side-step and say LIFE is unfair, or it is GOD's will. These are moments to catch out breath. To try and make heads and tails of what is happening.

The nomination of a judge to be considered for a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court shows both change and interrelationship. The growing divide between two factions with one now having the political control of the decision-making process and the other that does not, Over many years the political strategy that the other side are devils has evolved. In a religious context that one must not enter into conversation with the Devil, is usually the norm. Right and Wrong becomes a cliche even to the point if I believe I am morally right it is okay to refute even the possibility that I could be wrong. Assessing is a messy time consuming process.

So, here we are, both sides feel right and the situation has created a sense of self-righteousness whether IT goes our way or not. In Zen practice we ask..."Is that so?" This means we never know where we are in the unfolding of events, is IT now over, is it just starting, is it a win or is it a loss? In our practice we look deeply into the moment seeing this, that, and the other. Even when we feel cheated, we are still faced with the same question, what do we do about IT?

In our practice no matter the outcome (of the moment) we continue to step toward reducing suffering, sometimes quickly, but usually slowly and sometime significantly, but mostly moderately, moment after moment. Win, lose, or draw we are still faced with the same question...what do I do next.

We enter the stream of life that has been flowing for eons. We swim, float, nearly drown, bump into rocks, hold hands with others on our journey, get splashed thousands of times, and then leave this existence. We learn a few things, gain a few things, and loose a few things. This is, what we do and who we are, for we live in the vow of, is that so, and IT is fundamental to do so...