Heroes Not Zombies

The other day I was sitting outside enjoying some Spring sunshine when I noticed the strong shadows of the mulberry tree.

It struck me that the pattern of the branches was probably very similar to that of the root system under the soil. “As above, so below”, as the old saying goes….

I also enjoyed just looking at the patterns. There is something very beautiful about this branching pattern we see everywhere in Nature, isn’t there?

Then I realised I’d focused on the shadows rather than on the branches of the tree itself, and that brought back to mind Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Do you know it? Here’s a link for you to explore it further. Or watch this video from the fabulous “School of Life” –

The prisoner who is dragged out into the light comes to know the shadows are re-presentations of reality, but I’ve often thought it’s a shame that when he returned to the cave, he couldn’t see the shadows any more. Shadows, after all, can be both beautiful and quite enlightening!