A Little More on the Tsunami and Drama..

I really think we don’t even realize how much the world has changed since 9/11. And this allows us to act as if nothing has. So many people focus on the war and the election but I think in many, many essential ways we are closer and more united as a people both at home and around the world. The outpouring of concern and help has been inspiring. I hear people talking about compassionate commerce, about ecological economics. I just saw a new magazine for people wanting to find work that they love—and loves the planet (Worthwhilemag.com). We really are closer than ever. And quite close.

Which is not to say that things won’t get hairy during the transition. The path to peace (and health for that matter) for many individuals, institutions and governments is often wrought with tragedy and crisis. In the healing arts they call it a healing crisis—sometimes before you get better you get worse. Just watch Lawrence of Arabia (and imagine he had survived and married and found a fat coaching gig). And you’ve got to keep choosing that which gently nurtures you over that which can “take you away from it all” even while you feel like its not working and you’re getting worse. This builds a robust faith. And radical resolve. Pain does not exist just to torment us. It exists to encourage us to choose ourselves. Over and over. No matter what the cost or outcome. Jesus asked god why he was to be crucified and begged to be released from the task. Ours is not the life of a martyr—thank god—but we often feel discomfort until we commit and fortify our resolve to ourselves. (We feel a lot of joy as well—but often discount it).

Until we ignore our most basic and essential fears we’ll face them over and over. In this country this is the fear of starvation and death. The fear of not enough time. The fear of should be working (read “unhappy”). The fear that the truth is actually sad and ugly instead of joyous and beautiful. The fear that we just aren’t worth it.

The fear of aging (should be a ______ by now). The fear of looking foolish. The fear of love. The fear of no dental plan upon retirement (oh, us of little faith!).

I have spent the last seven years without any regular of significant income. I am 37. I live with my mother and I am happier and closer to the life that I have always wanted then I ever imagined was possible. And I have more fun every day than I did when I was when I was a kid. I can’t wait to get to what I do. Like a kid on Christmas. Literally.

And I have learned this: there is nothing but what we want and drama. There is one, very specific, life that we each want. And drama and what we don’t want will never satisfy us. They simply don’t work. Ever. (Feel free to try ‘em all as long as you want). And I believe all these specific wants add up to a marvelous, ridiculously peaceful, glorious and enjoyable world. As we have the guts to make it so. And you don’t have to join a monastery and do yoga for twenty years to live it. And you don’t have to wait for anyone or anything else to be happy. Unless you want to of course.

With a long enough view, everything has a reason. And that reason is always love.

One of the most significant hurdles to overcome is to move from an immature “growth as a response to pain” stance with our lives to a commitment of growth as a way of life and in response to inspired and quiet desire. So often we move toward love and compassion during a tragedy. The quickest way to avoid tragedy is to undertake love and compassion on your own—as we are inspired—and as they arise naturally. Gently and calmly. But this relies on us believing ourselves and disbelieving the drama of the world. Even as we walk through it and interact with it. Because we actually are safe. Even when we don’t feel so.