Is Gold Really Gold?

I recognize gold. I see it everyday as my gold wedding ring. I know that it doesn't have inherent "ringness" beacuase it hasn't always been a ring and it will someday decay or be melted down in to some other non-ring shape. But, I somehow still see it as being inherently gold.

But is gold really gold?

But looking deeper now I’m not so sure.

At our house we have a poster of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Turns out they might not be as elemental as I thought.

One atom of gold is still gold. But, take away one proton from the nucleus and it’s platinum. Add one proton and it’s mercury.

A gold atom has 79 protons. It also has dozens of electrons, neutrons, and other sub-atomic particles. Only the protons matter to determine if it’s gold.

But the protons aren’t gold. The electrons and neutrons aren’t gold either.

Just the collection of these parts qualifies as gold. Gold is made up of parts, none of which are gold.

What does this mean when I look for my Self. Where or what is the real Bruceness? I’m also a collection of parts, none of which can be called Bruce. Bruce is just a convenient designation for this collection. This collection, that’s always changing, that’s made up of parts, that are made up of more parts, and on and on.

How can I attach to this? I’m ungraspable.

All things are this way. That’s how I really feel oneness. Like gold.