Quote of the day:

The last two weeks have been about as grim and hopeless as any of us can remember, and yet, I have not gotten out the lobster bib and fork. The drunken Russian separatists in Ukraine with their refrigerated train cars? I mean, come on. Vonnegut could not have thought this up. Dead children children on beaches, and markets, at play, in the holy land?? Stop.

The two hour execution in festive Arizona? Dear God.

And let’s not bog down on the stuff that was already true, before Ukraine, Gaza, Arizona, like the heartbreaking scenes of young refugees at our border, the locals with their pitchforks. The people in ruins in our own families. Or the tiny problem that we have essentially destroyed the earth–I know, pick pick pick.

Hasn’t your mind just been blown lately, even if you try not to watch the news? Does it surprise you that a pretty girl’s mind turns to thoughts of entire carrot cakes, and credit cards?

…

It’s not that I don’t trust God or grace or good orderly direction anymore. I do, more than ever. I trust in divine intelligence, in love energy, more than ever, no matter what things look like, or how long they take. It’s just that right now cute little platitudes are not helpful.

I’m not depressed. I’m overwhelmed by It All. I don’t think I’m a drag. I kind of know what to do. I know that if I want to have loving feelings, I need to do loving things. It begins by putting your own oxygen mask on first: I try to keep the patient comfortable. I do the next right thing: left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe. I think Jesus had a handle on times like these: get thirsty people water. Feed the hungry. Try not to kill anyone today. Pick up some litter in your neighborhood. Lie with your old dog under the bed and tell her what a good job she is doing with the ruptured ear drum.

I try to quiet the drunken Russian separatists of my own mind, with their good ideas. I pray. I meditate. I rest, as a spiritual act. I spring for organic cherries. I return phone calls.

I remember the poor. I remember an image of Koko the sign-language gorilla, with the caption, “Law of the American Jungle: remain calm. Share your bananas.” I remember Hushpuppy at the end of Beasts of the Southern Wild, just trying to take some food home to her daddy Wink, finally turning to face the hideous beast on the bridge, facing it down and saying, “I take care care of my own.”

I take care of my own. You are my own, and I am yours–I think this is what God is saying, or trying to, over the din. We are each other’s. There are many forms of thirst, many kinds of water.

— Anne Lamott  (excerpts from Facebook Post)

While I revel in the lush summer flowers blooming in gardens everywhere, I am at the same time overwhelmed by the harsh realities of war,  virulent ebola outbreak, violence, drought, forest fires, refugee children, hunger, and suffering throughout the world.

I often feel totally OVERWHELMED.

I look around at my comfortable, well-fed, mostly safe, totally green and beautiful world and it seems surreal, that my life goes on without skipping a beat.

A friend of mine shared the Anne Lamott post above on Facebook last week.  This post eloquently expresses how overwhelmed I have been feeling and it gave me hope to hear that I was not alone in my overwhelm.

This week I’ve noticed myself getting angry about little things in my life that I would usually brush off. My anger at the deck refinishing company that seems to have forgotten to come back and stain and seal our deck kept me awake in the night, a sure sign that I need an attitude tune-up.

I Need Compassion, Kindness, and Presence

My own version of “I take care of my own,” follows…

I vow to renew my meditation practice, which has somehow lapsed (again) in the busyness of the mundane.

I look to teachers whose wisdom inspires me.

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

I seek ways that I can express love and compassion in my daily life and think about how I want to live this precious human life.

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
― Dalai Lama XIV, The Art of Happiness

I seek and share beauty, wonder, creativity and joy, magical elixirs that transform and heal.

I seek out companions who can share and lighten my journey.

I do the next right thing in this precious human life, whatever it is.

I invoke the observer in my mind so that I can become more aware of when I am petty, selfish, angry, or unkind.

I extend compassion to myself and others when I (we) behave in ways that are unkind or when I attempt to disconnect and tune out. I allow myself to feel sadness and horror when I witness senseless acts of violence and difficult natural disasters.

Noticing, noticing, noticing.

Releasing, releasing, releasing.

May you walk in beauty.