The morning is colder and grey. As a child I loved these days. I was always outside in nature. I loved the Autumn. I lived in the moment.
The world is a serious place these days…on edge. How will the elections go in the USA? So many folks are polarized. Their positions are arguable and passionate. We care about our world, its health, the rights of the people in it, and the future of our children’s children. We do what we can to make a difference.
In the meantime, there is the present. There are those whom we touch today by our actions, through our glances, our smiles, our frowns. These can make a difference to others now, and therefore affect the future. We could strive to carve out positive moments amidst the chaos. They may simply be thoughts or reflections with gratitude for something good.
My friend Marilyn believes that humanity is on a positive course overall, that it is becoming more self-actualized. She sees this in waves, with inevitable troughs and problems, but she believes in the good as well as the bad, and a general upward trend. She does not become caught up in negativity because “those vibrations are hurtful to ourselves and to others.”
Marilyn was and is ahead of her time. I’ve mentioned her before. At grad school in the late fifties and early sixties she studied and worked against racism and sexism. She was one of the only women in a 90% male class at Boston University. Instructors raised eyebrows as she entered the lecture halls. Half a century later, she continues to care deeply about human rights and the vote on political leaders. Though we are in an unprecedented time in terms of technology and instant information–and manipulated misinformation– she knows that the world will go on past this November. Humanity will get through this, too. She lived through World War 2, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Cold War. We will always have critical issues to work through.
While there is no space for complacency, there is argument for rest and for personal health. Enjoy a walk in nature, a beautiful view, or a cup of coffee and a good book, a time of prayer, meditation…these provide restoration of the soul amidst upheaval. It is not only possible, it is necessary.
“Good vibes” heal the self and work out from us like concentric circles on the water, affecting those around us and the world. Be at peace in the present moment. The planet and its people will still be there after your rest. Your body, mind and soul will be healthier and stronger for it. As will the thoughts, words and deeds with which you touch the world today.
Suzy Cornflakes 