There is a Hole in the Man

Something is missing in humans. There is something that keeps us searching for more, taking and taking only to be satiated briefly. Today I read that Lawrence Taylor, one of the greatest players to ever play the game of football (certainly the most dominating defensive end) is locked up on rape charges.

The article said that LT had a 16 year old girl brought to his New York hotel room by a pimp who picked the recent runaway girl up off the street. She had observable injuries to her face at the time and suffered additional injuries as she was allegedly beaten and raped by LT. I don't wish to convict him without trial, but I do want to draw attention to the fact that the man still seems to be searching for something. He's had his history of using cocaine, but this new allegation goes far beyond drug abuse.

I don't understand why someone with fame and money has to rape (Ben Rothlisberger). I don't understand for that matter why anyone does. If rape is about power more than sex, what makes wealthy, powerful, influential men rape? There must be a whole in the man.

There is a story told by a tribal elder in the movie Apocalypto (Great film! I suggest checking it out. I attached a clip below). The elder starts: "And a man sat alone. Drenched deep in sadness. And all the animals drew near to him and said: "We do not like to see you so sad... Ask us for whatever you wish and you shall have it." The man said: "I want to have good sight." The vulture replied: "You shall have mine." The man said: "I want to be strong." The jaguar said: "You shall be strong like me." Then the man said: "I long to know all the secrets of the earth." The serpent replied: "I will show them to you." And so it went with all the animals. And when the man had all the gifts they could give... he left. Then the owl said to the other animals: "Now the man knows much and is able to do many things... Suddenly I am afraid." The deer said: "The man has all that he needs. Now his sadness will stop." But the owl replied: "No. I saw a hole in the man... Deep like a hunger he will never fill... It is what makes him sad and what makes him want. He will go on taking and taking... Until one day the world will say: "I am no more and I have nothing left to give."

What can we do... when religion isn't enough... when drugs and alcohol are not enough... when esteem and wealth are not enough... when love is not enough? What can we do to fill the void at our center? Buy a new car, a new pair of shoes, or get some sexual gratification? No.

No. The answer to this, like many others, is inside. Look deep inside yourself and evaluate your being. Be not greedy. Know your desires, both acceptable and unacceptable. Give voice to them. Then eradicate them. Take only what comes righteously to you, and nothing more. Try to control the world and lose control of your soul. Seek contentment and bliss everlasting. Do your best to delay the inevitable filling up and depletion of your desires. Above all, see that in each moment you are complete, whole, and having everything you need.

J