Gratitude - The Grand Unifying Force 2-15-10

Anderson, South Carolina

In physics the Holy Gail has been the discovery of a single unifying force that would give context and understanding to the four known forces in the universe. For decades physicists have searched for a Grand Unified Theory, surmising that some underlying foundational force must exist, explaining how strong nuclear interaction, electromagnetism, weak nuclear interaction, and gravity relate to each other. We can describe gravity and these other forces to a degree but we really have little understanding as to why things like planets and people stick to each other, why gravity seems to be a strange property of atoms. Despite being the weakest of the four forces, gravity really does help keep things where they belong.

It is thought the so-called strong nuclear interaction is the interaction responsible for holding quarks together to form neutrons and protons, and for holding neutrons and protons together to form nuclei. The particle mediating this force is the gluon. Electromagnetic interaction is the familiar force acting on electrically charged particles. Photons mediate this force. Weak nuclear interaction is a repulsive short-range interaction responsible for some forms of radioactivity that acts on electrons, neutrinos, and quarks. It is governed by the W and Z bosons. Gravitational interaction is a long-range attractive interaction that acts on all particles with mass. The postulated mediating particle has been named the graviton.

It is suggested that energy levels required to confirm any unified theory is far beyond the capacity of current accelerators. The accelerators at CERN in Switzerland are currently being ramped up to about seven trillion electron volts but even these amazing levels are far below what is theoretically needed to make certain experimental confirmations.

There are some 2,600 employees at CERN along with some 8,500 academics from around the world conducting research. The annual budget well exceeds $1 billion. I have recently been conducting some experiments of my own, using a different kind of high energy particle at immensely lower cost. In my ‘work’ I am able to accelerate several kinds of particles at a cost of mere pennies and yet obtain consistent and gratifying results. My annual budget is measured in mere hundreds of dollars.

Using two plastic boxes containing particles of chocolate in assorted sizes and a third box containing red and white banded particles laced with peppermint oil, I am able conduct repeatable experimental series several times each week. A nearby institution allows me free access to its long corridors in which to conduct my experiments.

Valentine’s Day is a magical time of year and for those who are beneficiaries of good health, flowers, chocolates, fine dining, greeting cards, and the affections of others, it is a grand day of celebration and joy. For hundreds of individuals living out their last days in the nearby nursing home, with no options, Valentine’s Day is a difficult one, much like Christmas, New Years, and any of the other days we celebrate with those we love. Often having run out of high energy to embrace life, denizens of those long corridors often sublimate into despair from the unremitting loneliness and confinement.

In my experimental ‘work’ I have consistently found that injection of large numbers of chocolate particles, and more recently red and white banded ones, produces an amazing result. When one makes a journey into those corridors and brings tangible reminders to those living there that they still have great value, the result is sometimes astounding. Only last night, I think I achieved my greatest experimental results to date.

It seemed appropriate to spend Valentine’s Day conducting experiments, so it was that I found myself last night firing particles of chocolate and peppermint at all who entered those corridors. An ancient hunched over agitated woman struggling with her wheelchair showed little promise of making it to her destination. She desperately needed an energy boost. Several particles of Swiss Colony chocolate instantaneously increased her energy level, to an astounding degree. Immediately she was transformed from a morose angry hunch-back inmate into a radiant being full of life. She offered sincere effusive thanks for making her visible.

Based on this strong interaction I decided to modify our experiments. My assistant had a vase of daisies in her hand. We injected it into Elaine’s life. The result was instantaneous and simply wondrous. Standing up, Elaine suddenly overflowed with what has to be the most sublime phenomenon in the human experience, unbounded gratitude. This dear soul suddenly entered into a cascade of thankfulness and gratitude that transformed that cold institutional corridor into a warm cathedral of worship. We laughed, we prayed, we reminisced, we caught others up in the wonder of it. Strangers became dear friends faster than CERN can tear apart atoms. I was close to experiencing the endorphin high that normally only comes from very hard exercise. I think I probably had enough spare energy to get CERN ramped up to levels that would find the unifying force of the universe.

In the recovery world we learn that resentment is perhaps the greatest killer of all and that virtually all of the angst we experience in life derives from its infection in our souls. We are desperately afraid of losing something or not getting something we desperately want. Those with great wisdom tell us that the antidote to it, the anti-matter that will annihilate this most odious and consuming force is none other than gratitude - the very force that transformed this old haggard woman into a dear friend in seconds.

One of the most articulate speakers in the recovery world, Fr, Frank Martin, describes gratitude as the Queen of Emotions. I would suggest it just might be the elusive Grand Unifying Force we have been looking for, perhaps in the wrong places. Perhaps much earlier other authors long ago figured out the unified field theory and we just have been reading the wrong books.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

When you are out accelerating through life, are you diverting particles of transformation to those who need them, setting up your own experiments; transforming anger, resentment, loneliness, and depression into the wonder of gratitude, thanksgiving, and community? You don’t have to go to Switzerland to collect high energy particles. They are as close as your nearest candy store and florist.