vines in teacup and inter-connectedness of human

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.                 --- John Donne



I remember clearly the thesis of my project for my graduation paper even though it has been years since my graduation. I had no idea what inter-connectedness mean when my mentor mentioned about the term and asked me to do some research on the topic and wrote about it. I did understand it after reading some books and wrote my own understanding. But one does not get to understand it unless one really goes through the process of living in it. After years of real life experience, now I finally understand the whole meaning of it.

I guess the teacup I presented here today really speaks it all. The vines of a plant grow from the same seed. They seems to be apart from each other and yet they are part of the whole plant. If one piece of vine gets infected with sickness, it will spread to whole plant later. And so the well being of one helps the well being of the whole. Sometimes reality makes us think that we stand alone in the whole universe, but are we really living apart from others?

Today I look back and think about the people I met in my life. All their own stories seem to speak to some part of me in different period of my life. Some even mirror my own situation the time I met them. And some predict my own future events and vice versa. And I understand the real meaning of meeting them and they me. 

I guess life is about helping each other grow spiritually and exchanging life lessons. 

I think I am blessed to have some important friends in my life including the friend who helped ship this cup to me from US to Hong Kong. Thank you very much. You know who you are. And I take this opportunity to thank you.

The seller was very kind to send a photo she took with the teacup. Even the photo carries meaning to me. I knew it at once when I saw it. It is a photo of a butterfly resting on violet flowers. Friends, I guess you are right when you mentioned about me being in a transition. I guess the things happening now are helping me through this transition --- to grow higher in spiritual awareness. To transform like a butterfly, from cocoon to dancing creature. I think I am ready to fly. 

Thank you Terri and Martha for holding teacup Tuesday.