It seems as though many voices are asserting that this is a time of crisis. Depending on what is meant, there do seem to be several serious dangers and negatives around. Take your pick: climate, politics, economic inequality, social inequality, personal shame, personal guilt, fear, infirmity. But I am confident that living in a crisis mode, being on the alert, is only possible for a limited time. You remember the boy who called "Wolf!" too many times. Eventually, people are going to ignore the warning.
You can try harder to rouse the group, scream louder and at a higher pitch, but there is only so much alarm in us. It is not easy these days since everybody has something they are alarmed about, something they feel I should be alarmed about. The larger issues, like the money supply or dependence on fossil fuels, no matter how frightening, are matters that I really can't do much about. I have written to my congressman and I am biking to my job but these efforts are limited and have not had a noticeable effect. I am told that if the Chinese, the citizens of India would join the Europeans and charge higher prices for fuels and stop trying to have a motorized life, it would help, except for those in the world who depend on fuel sales for a living.
You may benefit from realizing that in today's world, voices and font size and color and a captivating blast of a strong beat are completing for human attention. Others want to get their petitions signed too and still others are trying to get people to worry about their cause.
But we are way more than that. We have been creating a life for ourselves for millennia and we have faced very big dangers and very deep ignorance. We have all sorts of patience and forbearance and fortitude. We have intuitions and allies and inventiveness. We have the best tools our kind has ever had so try not to worry too much. You have heard of YOLO or Y.O.L.O. = you only live once. It is true that over time part of you may emerge as some other animal or plant but for this lifetime, don't spend all of it gnawing your fingernails and trembling. Take some time each day to kiss those you love, to taste something good, to feel gratitude for all you have.
