Chest of draws
This chest of drawers is my latest creation. I made it out of Cazadero oaks and a walnut tree (standing living trees) that I harvested 15 years ago. This dresser is made for my wife Susan. I delivered it on 9–29–22 — which happens to be my 37 wedding anniversary. 9–30–84 is the day we met — 38 years ago.
15 min readJan 22, 2023
Most all of us have at least one chest of draws in today’s world. Usually we put socks, tee-shirts, underwear and other essentials in them. We have dressers and other boxes, because we all have such great abundance in our lives. If we did not organize, things would be hard to find. I know my grandparents, Sam & Henya, had only one dresser between them both. It was treasured by them and it was passed down to my sister Gail. I wonder if my grandparent’s grandparents had a chest of draws. My point is to bring the realization that abundance of possessions is not as common in yesteryears as it is now. Five hundred years ago most of us would have been peasants somewhere in the world and not had many “things” to keep track of. Perhaps, we only had the clothes on our backs and a few other possessions. Five thousand years ago this was most certainly true for most ordinary people. Abundance is common in the world today, although not for everyone. I believe all of you have significant material abundance and more than a few boxes to keep your stuff in. A box has always been a sign of wealth — that is why we call it a treasure chest.
The dresser or chest of draws is multiple boxes grouped together into one larger box. The idea of a box is a human invention for storage, protection, concealment, safety and organization. A box can be a container of any shape or size; it does not have to be rectangular or square. The first boxes humans probably had were crude houses, most likely in caves. In the earliest days of humanoid existence we took shelter anywhere we could find cover. Below is an example of an individual’s sense of home:
Humanoid people lived in caves before we knew how to reliably make a fire — more than 2 million years ago. Then, life became more complex and we started to group things into smaller boxes inside the caves for organization. The nesting of boxes is what we do, in order to know what we have — right? A chest of drawers is a nesting of boxes. A grave is a kind of box and early on we nested them inside our caves. Is the box the “thing” that organizes our belongings? Not really, I say the brain is the organizer. Our reasoning consciousness is the arranger of things as life gets more and more complex. Our physical bodies are really our most original box. We all came from a womb nested inside our Mothers. A womb is just a nested box. Our brains are contained, nested, inside the box of our bodies. We crave tidiness in our brains because we want a sense of security and order. We desire conceptual organization because we want reliability and predictability. We evolved our brains into a type of filing cabinet: just like a chest of draws.
We group things in our brains first — then in the physical world. So, we use physical boxes to help our brains organize and make sense of the world around us. There is a conceptual picture first in our minds eye, before the physical box is made or organized. As time goes on for humans; our brain filing cabinet gets more and more sophisticated and complex.
Human beings have an ever increasing desire to control the world we live in. However, the degree of dominion we have in our lives is never as much as we desire. We can change small things in the physical world around us and some things of our mental world. I can change a few things in my own mind, but very little in other people’s thinking. As a carpenter I change a few things physically around me, but not much beyond my immediate realm. It is a daily struggle, for me, to accept my limitations. Control as a desire is a funny thing. We all crave control, but in the end we don’t change very much in either the physical or conceptual world. We all have bodies and breathe air and share the Earth. However, most everything is determined for us in this, our, physical and mental world. We may have a little more control over our own thinking; but not much more. Most activity happening in our brains is automatic; most of the time we are on autopilot. We have new creative thoughts occasionally; but most of our thoughts and neural activity is about homeostasis. Managing and maintaining the functioning machine. We like to think of ourselves as “in charge”, but the reality is we control very little of either the physical or mental world. Although, we do have some control in both realms. Why do we want control? I think the answer is easy and obvious — because we are insecure in both worlds. Not some of us — all of us!
Mathematics is both discovered and invented to help us organize and calculate our ever increasing complex world. A computer is mathematical tool and an extension of our brains filing cabinet. A computer helps us organize, store, calculate and predict our world. Our consciousness is in the box of our bodies and it organizes and sees everything around. So, a box can be a physical or metaphysical thing and/or both. However, most boxes we create are born in our minds eye — first — before we build them in the physical world. There are boxes we make and boxes we exist in and also boxes we perceive. The whole universe is a kind of box — it contains or holds — everything. Is there anything outside the box of the universe? By definition the universe contains everything — Right? Boxes are containers or holders and can come in any shape or size. Mother Earth is a box of sorts — a container — and we all share it. Just like we all share the universe. Boxes, can be both real and imagined, and/or a combination of both.
Humans are funny creatures; we invent tools and then put them into boxes; we call them toolboxes. So, I ask myself and you — what is the first tool humans had? I say it was the stick. We can use a stick as an aid in walking. A stick is also the first hammer, poker, pointer, lever and weapon. A million, five million years ago we picked up a stick and started to use it. Can you think of a tool that is older than the stick? A palm sized rock, perhaps? I think they are the same principle of the first tool. However, a stick is conceptually more complex than a rock. A stick can do many more things than just a rock. A stick leads the brain into new territory of thinking in many, many different ways.
I say the stick as a tool is the beginning of human organization and dominion of the physical world. It is from the stick that our brains made a connection from our bodies and extended our minds to the world at large. The simple stick leveraged our inner world to think outside the box. The stick is the link between the physical and mental, internal world. I say organization of consciousness was aided, guided with the stick; a long time ago. With a stick and a rock, together, we can create a lever. A simple lever is a kind of bootstrap technology that we are still dependent on and using today. A fulcrum is not just a physical entity or tool; but the conceptual pivot or leverage point for the very idea of the infinite. A fulcrum and stick can lift a rock 1000 times our weight. A fulcrum can also elevate an idea beyond the known cosmos. What do you think the first tool is?
One of the most important boxes that we have is the voice box. We use the voice box for language. There are many categories of language for human beings. The spoken word is not our first language. It is important to understand the variations of language we have and rely on today. And, the order in which they appeared or unfolded to us as a species. The oldest language, in my mind, is not words — it is the language of love. Love was practiced and taught by Mothers of most all species going back many millions of years before humans even existed — perhaps hundreds of millions of years. Biologically our humanoid ancestors go back maybe 7 million years. Homo sapiens have been around for only 250,000 or 300,000 years. Language in many forms has been with Homo sapiens since our beginning. We always had the language of love from our Mothers. What is the language of love? Simply put it is reciprocal caring, affection, emotion for one another — we first learn it from our Mothers in the womb. After we emerge at birth, love gets stronger and stronger — it keeps growing. Love it seems, grows forever and beyond. Does love, have a limit in time, space or growth? Not that I am aware of. What do you think?
We always had the language of our 5 sense which works in conjunction with the phenomenon of love. Sensory awareness has been with us from our very beginnings. Each sense has a type of language to it. We gain information from our senses and we impart information from our senses. The touch of our Mothers Breast and taste of her milk is a powerful vehicle for both Mother & child. Love is revealed and explored by our senses. Our Mothers touch, taste and smell guided our understanding and development of love. The ability to love we obtained from our Mothers sets us on a path to love other things. For example, we love tools that we learned from older humanoid species we descended from. Tools have a language of their own. The use of a tool speaks to us as we use it. We also speak to other when we show them its function. We have found stone tools going back 2 million plus years. Tool language is ubiquitous, ancient and still spoken today. Art is also a type of language. Art is the language of our imagination. Art was taught and developed by our older humanoid ancestors. Art speaks to the past, present and future. Art can be a very powerful language. Music is another type of language. Another language is signs. Pointing or gesturing is sign language. Neanderthals and Denisovans probably had all the above languages. Did we have a spoken language 500,000 years ago? There is no definitive proof but Love, senses, tools, art, music and signs existed long before Homo sapiens emerged. It is highly probable that verbal language began before Homo sapiens arrived on Earth. Much of evolutions story is hidden from us; but a lot of evidence suggest that we inherited verbal language.
The most primal language of Love is cemented in our consciousness and fortified by our senses. Love paves the way for all other forms of communication. As our languages developed emotion is provoked. The glee of emotion we get from a useful tool; invoked expression. Art does a similar thing of provoking emotional cognition and expression. Art is a type of description of what we think and feel — it is a visual language full of emotion. Music is another type of language full of emotion. Spoken language is a logical progression and extension of our emotional and sensual awareness and evolved out of our most primal language — love. I am sure the first words were not much more than moans and/or cries, but soon words became more focused, emotive and descriptive.
Language is just a vehicle or mechanism for sharing. This is what I am doing now — sharing what I love to do with people that I love. Why would I consider not sharing? Sharing is what humans have always done. We bond together by giving things of value to each other. I give you what I love and value. I hope that you appreciate what I do in the physical world; but also in the world of ideas. This sharing can potentially and hopefully create a bond between us. A bond of appreciation is the basis of all civilization. Civilization is just an agreement based on cooperative sharing that begins with love. Where do we learn to love? We learn it from our Mothers — first. Why do Mothers love us? They love us because they love themselves. In the beginning the Mother and baby is one being — not separate. Mothers learn love from their Mothers — going back and back beyond recollection. This simple fact is really not appreciated by most people as much as it should be! Mother love is a distinct principle that most all people forget or ignore. We all need a Mother or Mother figure; if we are to develop a capacity to love. Do a google search and you will find that love is not defined as coming from a Mother. Rather science talks about neuro chemicals, electrical signals and different types of love. All types of love, even agape, are birthed/created by Mothers. Science does not say that love comes from Mothers. Science beats around the bush and does not see the forest for the trees. I think this point is very interesting and revealing. However, now that you hear it — can you deny it as a fact that love comes from a Mother? Or, can you explain the creation of love another way? Please tell me how can you explain your capacity to love and why you have it?
Mothers create love in a very practical way. Love is the most powerful force and language in the universe. I love and share because my Mother taught me to do so. I feel connected to all Mothers going back 100’s of million years and longer. Do you feel this connection?
A Mother’s love bonded two beings together and this creation leads to a more complex bonding. In Humans, a society is first a Mother and child; then, perhaps, a mate to form a core family.
The core family group can bond with other families that we call a tribe; which produces a culture. This culture evolves into a town — city — state — civilization. The first family in society is founded by a Mother and child. This bond produces Love and society is still dependent on it today. This writing is to clarify and sharpen my thinking. This sharing is one of my contributions to our civilization; in the continual chain of love that combines and connects us all together. Love is a primal force that exists. Just like an electron or proton is real in an atom; love is real in consciousness. Love holds civilization together, and, is a force inside of consciousness. Love holds consciousness together — it binds all the nooks and crannies into a meaningful fusion. Love drives us to organize and make things better. Love is the glue of a meaningful life and mind. It is through love that purpose is derived. Purpose is a seed that grows in the soil of love.
Consciousness can hold a sense or picture of our entire universe. I sense that love exists in the farthest reaches of the universe. Love exists simultaneously in my picture of the universe and my consciousness. We use various languages as tools to connect our separate consciousness. Language is just a tool. This moment is an instant in cosmic space. All moments are cosmic in eternal time and surrounded and bound by love. I feel that love binds the entire universe together. Can I prove this statement? No. All I need to know is that love is in my consciousness — that is enough — sufficient.
We always needed to group our tools and signs. In the beginning we organized and grouped our tools so we could make a fire — over and over again. The grouping and organization was so we could replicate the fire making for ourselves. We also organized to teach our sons and daughters to make their own fires. Teaching another to make a fire requires a language. Teaching is sharing and is done with all the languages we have. The language of Love, senses, tools, art and signs existed before we had the language of words. The language of words began, perhaps, 40,000 to 2 million years ago. We don’t know when words emerged in our history. Languages of all types are still evolving. We are still creating new languages. Mathematics is still growing. New computer languages are coming online. The Languages of physics, astronomy, biology, chemistry, artificial intelligence are converging in extraordinary ways. We are creating profound new connections and insights that are stunning and shocking. Earth is becoming a smaller and smaller place in the universe that we inhabit. Language is a transportation device; it is also a transformative vehicle. We are not at the top of our game — we are just beginning the game. We are infants, embryos in the scheme of things — the drama of life. Do we understand consciousness? I do not think we know very much. Watching human development is beautiful, terrifying and perplexing process.
Do we understand the universe? What is the difference between the universe and consciousness? Is consciousness a part of the universe or is the universe a part of consciousness? Is consciousness more fundamental than the physical universe? Was the physical universe here before consciousness appeared? Does consciousness precede all of physics? Does the physical universe create consciousness? Can consciousness awareness exist without any physical association or attachment? Is one bigger than the other? Are these types of questions ridiculous or unnecessary? What seems certain to me is that all existence is ephemeral. Galaxies come and go and Astronomy now says there are at least a trillion galaxies and we will probably discover more when we get better telescopes. The Milky Way, our galaxy, has a trillion stars. That means the universe has a trillion trillion stars. Do we understand what a trillion trillion stars is? I do not fathom that number; do you? A galaxy is just a filing cabinet with a trillion draws.
Consciousness comes and goes. Life comes and goes. What can we know for sure? At any given moment, if you are aware of anything; you are conscious. That is a miraculous condition. Be grateful you are thinking — aware. Being grateful is a choice. If you are not grateful; that is a choice. What is your choice? Know what you chose — that is what you can know for sure. Feel your own consciousness and make a connection — choice — be grateful or not for having a consciousness choice. I say claim your volition — your choice.
The sharing that I do also gives me a purpose. A purpose is the greatest gift I can give myself. Without purpose I have no motivation to do anything — go anywhere. Purpose is at the core, essence of a thriving consciousness. Purpose is a combination of volition and love. Volition is the driving force behind purpose that makes existence — consciousness — meaningful. No volition — No existence. I think all things that exist have volition. A rock has the volition to be a rock. I do not understand why a rock exists, but I am grateful that it does. I am grateful for all thinkers, atheists, theists and agnostics because they illuminate and provoke my awareness of my own thinking. My awareness of meaningful questions is all I need be concerned with — it is enough — forever — and it is only in this moment — now. I never leave this moment. Have you ever been in the past or future? We all have a past and future; but we only observe it from the present. The fact that I can think and chose or probe anything — gives me free will. I exercise my volition. I am not going to argue with myself whether or not I have free will or a consciousness. Above all else I feel my consciousness; I do not have to prove it is present. It may not always be happy; but it is always with me. I do not need to prove that a rock exists or that you or God or consciousness or free will exists. To argue with myself whether or not I am thinking and/or have a purpose is a fool’s errand.
My job is to have a meaningful purpose — now — to claim my volition — to feel my consciousness. In this very fleeting moment I can change direction. If I ask myself corrosive, toxic questions I can go down a rabbit hole that poisons my awareness. Why would I poison myself? I chose to have meaningful purpose — direction. I exist and I touch the entire universe, everything, and I ask myself evocative, useful questions. I feel my volition and my purpose — my purpose is to build physical and conceptual things that are functional, useful and in my eyes beautiful. My sharing is to show you, and most importantly — myself — how purpose works for me.
