The Things that Frighten Us

Denial and lies are
almost an intrinsic
part of an epidemic.
~ Nicholas A. Christakis

On the heels of the previously expressed idea that John and Debra (and you and yours!) truly are the macrocosm and microcosm, soon after my blog was posted yesterday morning I saw a post John made Tuesday on Facebook: The Dems and the media are so corrupt. Vote Red and encourage your friends to vote Red.

I grabbed my journal and wrote: “I feel the tension in my body.”

As I sat with that tension, I could see my listening to the Rabbi’s talk and choosing to include it in my blog. I had not acknowledged the Rabbi’s admonition but I knew he had one, and I included the link to his talk.

When John and I walked later in the morning, I told him I could see where my choice — my action — was spinning the karmic wheel. I asked him if he had realized how he could have agreed with the sentiment of the post he was commenting on, but without adding to the poisonous political climate plaguing our nation by singling out the “Dems” and liberal media as liars, and going even further by telling others how to vote. He said he had not been able to see that at the time.

As we walked on together, we articulated more skillful ways of commenting. For example, “I saw the interview. I’m praying for all the lying to end.” As we explored further we also saw opportunity to speak a more wise world into being, “We all need to work together and support ourselves. The fighting is such a waste of energy and resources.”

    Deep Spring Center
    Thought for Today

    All of you, as you come through this series of human lifetimes, are going to find yourselves as teachers of compassion in the universe. So don’t minimize what you are doing. It’s not about you. It’s not even about your country or your world. It’s about love and the transformation of everything through love. And you are at the heart of this. There are so many beings that appreciate the efforts that you make and support those efforts. ~ Aaron

John and I grew up in a world of double standards nobody questioned and few even recognized. In 1966 when he and I conceived Stacey and got married, he was allowed to finish high school. I was banned. It took both of us to get pregnant, but only one of us was held accountable….

Often the most subtle of distortions have the most toxic ripple effects.

This post’s opening quote is by Nicholas A. Christakis. He says, “Everywhere you see the spread of germs, for the last few thousand years, you see right behind it the spread of lies.” You can listen to a 47-Minute NPR interview with Christakis about his book Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. Warning: It is not easy to hear the possible impact.

Christakis says the coronavirus has come at a time when we are very vulnerable because of the polarization. He encourages us to let the science do it’s job. Either masks help or they don’t. He says, “Let’s get the science straight first.”

The things that frighten us just want to be held.
~ Mark Nepo

Mark Nepo, author of The Book of Awakening.
In 1987 he discovered a lump on the back of his head that was eventually diagnosed as a rare form of lymphoma.
He is now a two-time cancer survivor.

The interview closes on an encouraging word:

We are a remarkable species…

We have so many wonderful qualities, we humans.

These include the capacity for love, the capacity for friendship; that we cooperate with each other; that we make sacrifices even to benefit strangers.

Comments are closed.