37. Largeness
Nature is an endless interaction of more and less. Once the diversity or manyness of existence is seen, things can likewise be regarded as added to things or subtracted from them.
When we say a thing is large, it means that it is seen as having more than something which is neither more nor less; that is, “standard” in one’s mind. A standard is in one’s mind as “other things” thought of, to which a specific thing now thought of, is compared.
This is exemplified in our calling a table large. We call a table large when we think it occupies more space than a table occupying neither more space nor less space than other tables, to which we compare the table we call large. In every appraisement of size, there is a something in our mind which we see as having neither more size nor less size. This is a standard, a norm, an average. This average is an unconscious equilibrium, or rhythm of more and less at once. This more and less rhythm is also the rhythm of fact, existence, reality, nature.
Diversity makes being more, or larger. Diversity is being asserting itself, showing its allness, its possibility. Being, showing itself as change, is good; for the basis of existence or reality is here affirmed. This is why the word large has taken on an ethical meaning in the phrases “large mind,” “large vision,” “large heart” or “big heart,” “large book” or “big book.” The feelings of badness are about the word small or petty or little. The reason also has to do with the nature of being.