I recently had a chance at a day trip to one of the beautiful finger lakes in upstate NY. What I wrote can be described I guess as a collection of thoughts, a meditation, on my own feelings of sorrow about the sad state of the world (global warming) and our failure in leadership. Oddly enough despite the content of the message, I felt better after writing/journaling this – it's a self-help practice and mindfulness strategy I frequently prescribe to myself and my clients.
It's a muted sky in Skaneateles.
The rain stopped and I see to the bottom of the lake rocks of all sorts, worn down just as I feel this day … looking to recharge with mud wrap aromatherapy, herbal soak and massage at nearby Mirbeau Spa – quite a treat and a special discounted package … so an offer I couldn't refuse!
It's so peaceful here and I feels so much more openly present.
I reflect on what it took to create this beautiful community through destroying Native American communities and culture. The name means Long Lake. We are now, as the movie I saw last week, "First Reformed", so terribly drove home, physically destroying the Earth that has so sweetly and generously allowed us to exist. It doesn't matter at this point who wouldn't – who doesn't violate the environment – we all suffer, we all participate or not – we all experience the consequences.
It is beyond comprehension that we continue to cling to such a barbaric belief system that sanctions, as it perpetually creates, multitudes of powerless, much poorer Have-Nots in order to sustain the Haves and their seeming black hole of endless greed.
Of course our world is wonderfully abundant and there are more than enough resources for everyone.
How is it that we have allowed ourselves to be so infinitely brainwashed to believe the opposite that produces such global suffering?
The suffering is unconscionable and goes on and on because not enough of us insist on standing up, too many of us stay afraid and prefer to stick our heads in the sand, assuming somehow we won't be affected.
It's been said this may be the last century for humans. This is a very sobering thought to me regarding my four young grandchildren, one of whom is less than a year old.
How can we so successfully and cruelly ignore the dependent needs of future generations that we are responsible for? For countless millennia we have excused violence toward humans, fellow life-forms and the entire Earth for no sane reason … for no good reason … for no reason at all other than to support ongoing violence.
There is no "Other".
We operate under a profoundly delusional belief system that continues to make ourselves exactly as we classify others, as lesser and lesser. So the Earth is rising up instead of us.
I am perpetually troubled especially by the criminal leadership in this country, with its long-standing sanction of lobbyists, gerrymandering and pervasive violation of what so simply would support everyone's greater good, as well as the original vision of the United States of America as the land of the free, home of the brave.
Only we can accept responsibility and take creative strong initiative to transform ourselves and our country through unconditional caring