The Best and the Worst of Times

“The elders have sent me to tell you that now is like a rushing river, and this will be experienced in many different ways. There are those who would hold onto the shore… there is no shore. The shore is crumbling. Push off into the middle of the river. Keep your head above the water, look around to see who else is in the river with you, and celebrate.” Choquash - a Native American storyteller

The confusion here is strong. Exponential changes converging defy predictions. Dark rumors and conspiracies boil below the surface of chaos and are overtaken by sheer numbers of actors with various agendas. Great movements rise and fall, barely noted in the din and foment of the information tide.

Yet daily several billion humans and innumerable sentient creatures scrounge around and make it to the next day. Aggregated flows of supply slosh around as creatures negotiate for their daily bread. It is hard to make out patterns. It seems to be the best of times and the worst of times, simultaneously.

Sometimes I want to reassure you that we will be fine, this is a generous, abundant universe. All is working out for the best; we will not only muddle on through this crisis, this is the dawn of a golden age of beauty, harmony, and love. I am impressed by the goodness and deep integrity of my fellow beings, and filled with optimism, hope, and even joy.

On the other hand, at times I want to scream, wake up! We are headed over the cliff, emergency, all hands on deck! Alarm! The sense of helplessness I feel as I look around at the oppression of beings everywhere, and the forces of destruction eating away at the fabric of the web of life we all depend upon.

I guess that is why we have two hands. Two sides of the brain, two sexes. And two feet, to move, albeit in an unbalanced way, toward a better place. Every step is out of balance. We careen from one foot to the other as we walk, never really in a state of balance. Without forward movement standing on either foot is untenable. 

It is as if we are crossing a raging stream, hopping from one sinking stone to another, each one holding our weight just long enough to make it to the next. It is like the story of the king who commissioned his wise counselor to inscribe in his ring a saying that would cheer him up when he was down, and keep him from being arrogant when things were going well. The ring simply said,"this too, shall pass".

What can you do? Just take the next step, from where you are now.