Time to read:
Lilies from my garden
A few weeks ago, when I asked what keeps you up at night, overwhelmingly you answered, "the state of the world," "how to go about daily life when so much is going on," and "people no longer caring for each other."
First, I want to acknowledge that you are right. There is so much going on. It's a constant barrage of bad news, chaos, and reasons to despair.
And…I hope.
I believe in the power of humans. Humans get seduced by power, money, greed, and ego and justify terrible things to ourselves. That is not all we are.
The world you want starts with you. Each of us has a responsibility, a duty to put out into the world the energy and behavior you wish to see in other people and in our culture.
That means:
- Be kind, even when others are not.
- Take care of yourself so you have the energy to choose your behavior. Being tired leads to unconscious reactions which are often not helpful or productive.
- Actively find ways to serve the people around you in big and small ways. What do you have to share? What can you give? As an example, we have a cherry tree in our yard, and I invited folks from my Buy Nothing FB page to pick cherries. People brought their kids. A refugee family was so happy to have a taste of home. Sharing those cherries was not a big thing. And it breathed the energy of generosity and abundance I want to feed.
- Take responsibility for yourself. This is a big one that I will break down over a few weeks. You are the agent of your life. Make your choices accordingly.
This is a start to a bigger conversation. More to come....