The first time my parents traveled to the State of Mato Grosso, in the Brazilian Midwestern region, many years ago, a large part of the trip was made along unpaved roads. Dust and mud were constants. Mom told me that she was impressed with a certain kind of bush that grew along the roadside, whose leaves were shiny, while the other species of plants had opaque leaves due to the great quantity of dust deposited on them. That specific kind of bush (I don’t recall the name) had leaves that would not take or “accept” the deposit of dust, may be due to its smooth surface and, for that reason, they always looked as if they had been recently washed.
In the paths of our human lives, we also encounter many clouds of dust, such as the ones expressed in the form of crass materialism, sin, dishonesty, greed, and in many other ways. But for all this dust to find ways to deposit itself on our activities and experience, our consent is needed. If such conditions, that are opposed to good, have impacted or been accepted in our thought, they are probably influencing our lives through layers of suffering, bad relationships, fear, sadness, sickness, and frustration.
The way to keep ourselves socially or individually safe from these attacks of undesired “dust” agents is to be always watchful of our thoughts. Many times these assaults are so subtle that they seem harmless or even desirable. And don’t the vices that devour human integrity start this way? Therefore, the conscious watchfulness of our thought is the biggest weapon against vice and vicissitude.
