At this time, there is ferment, even turmoil swirling around us. And anxiety about all these forces of change in our lives. This weekend I got some good news that I want to share. It’s about how to move forward into a new future. First, it’s about how interconnected we and everything is, always. Here is a paraphrase of what I heard someone explain. “Everything is part of a whole system. Everything is part of the whole. And because of these facts, everything, anything you do that is a positive act affects the whole system in a positive way. It does not matter what issue you choose to act upon, the environment, climate change, social justice, all efforts effect change for the better throughout the whole system.”
And here is a quote from Wendy Robins that illustrates our interconnection, “We share a common earth. We stand among each other. We share out planet, we share birth, death, hunger, and love. The sky opens above us, and we receive space. The earth stands beneath us and we receive the ground. The air becomes our breath and we are one wind. The water becomes our blood and we are one sea…”
What if we started each day reminding ourselves of these elemental truths, our interconnection and our impact on the systems we all share? How would we treat each other? Living creatures? Our earth?
I heard someone say, “nothing could be worse that a return to ‘normal.’ My take on that statement is that we recognize that priorities, daily habits, and general policy pre-COVID were deeply flawed in multiple ways. The epidemic laid bare many of the fault lines and inequities in our society. And going forward, we have an opportunity to reengage with new awareness. Being mindful of our interconnectedness and opportunities to make positive contributions offers a clear vision and encouragement to begin.