Today is the vernal equinox — the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. The photograph above, of the edge of the pond in our backyard this morning, feels particularly representative of what is happening in our world right now. We can see a little bit (and even that little bit is a reflection) but much is out of focus. There is more that we don’t know than we do know.
Living With Uncertainty
Traveling through this pandemic is like traveling through unknown territory without a map. I think back to the brave people in our country who traveled across this country in covered wagons based upon the belief that there was a better life ahead in mostly uncharted territory. They faced weather challenges, illness, fear of hostile attacks, brutal physical challenges, and more. Yet they persevered. Following trails forged by a few intrepid explorers, most survived the journey.
Living with uncertainty is hard.
But our lives are always uncertain. Anything can happen at any time. Many of us live within a false bubble of certainty that we are in control. Until something happens to show us that…
Control is an illusion.
The best we can do is to do the next right thing based upon what we know now. Right now the future is blurry like most of the image above. But we do have guides through parts of this journey. Let’s listen to those who study pandemics and are knowledgeable about our healthcare system. And let’s not forget those who are in need. Crises like this exacerbate the effects of inequalities.
Perennial wisdom suggests that we do unto others as we would have done to ourselves.
… Perennial Wisdom truth is that which leads us beyond alienation and isolation to integration and unity; beyond fear to love; beyond exploitation of the other to justice for all; beyond violence and war to cooperation and peace; beyond the zero–sum, winner-takes-all worldview of “us against them” to the nonzero win-win worldview of “all of us together;” beyond the bifurcated world of chosen and not chosen, believer and infidel, saved and damned, truth–sayer and heretic to the unified world of seekers; and beyond the dualism of sacred and profane, heaven and earth, Creator and creation to the awareness that every finite “this” is a manifestation of the infinite and ineffable That. — https://oneriverfoundation.org/perennial-wisdom/
We will get through this minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. If you are at home wondering what to do with all of your unscheduled time perhaps you could start a project of some sort. It could be creative or helpful, useful or frivolous.
Decide to…
Be a Blessing
I have decided to try to be a blessing during these uncertain times.
Humanity is experiencing a dark night, a time of environmental and spiritual collapse. Millions of us have lost all sense of meaning, mission, and purpose. We find ourselves frustrated, frightened, adrift and angry. As a result all too many of us have fallen victim to narcissism, nihilism, hatred, drugs and even suicide. Being a blessing to all the families of the earth is an antidote to this dark night. Being a blessing helps you and others reclaim the sense of meaning, mission, and purpose that just might move us through this dark night into a new dawn. There are three steps to being a blessing: 1. Opening Our Minds. See the other and yourself as waves of an infinite, non-dual oceanic happening called by many names: God, Brahman, Allah, YHVH, Mother, Nature, Tao, Reality, etc. 2. Opening Our Hearts.Drop all constricting narratives that pit “us” against “them” and person against planet. 3. Opening Our Hands. Hallow each meeting with spontaneous acts of kindness arising naturally from your being present and free. — https://oneriverfoundation.org/be-a-blessing/
Here are the two projects I’ve decided to commit to during this time:
- Share Beauty: I plan to make and post a picture each day.
- Connect with Others: I plan to call at least one person each day just to check in and make sure they have everything they need.
How will you be a blessing?
May you walk in beauty.
The edge of the pond today — the big mystery for me is, where did that pink ribbon come from? Also notice open water at the edge of the pond, grass that is beginning to turn green!
Basswood tree in the rain
Front yard tree seeds in the rain
Edge of the pond on the first day of spring
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