For many of us, considering our "future" seems a mixed experience of excitement for the possibilities of changes, and dread for the seemingly undeniable realities of the times of transition between the current situation and the "possibilities."
Everywhere now, in practically every paper, magazine, and media outlet the stories are shouting at us. For many of us, we've been aware that this was an undeniable scenario for a decade or more: global warming, wars, water shortages, peak oil production, dissolution of communities, global devastation of natural resources, etc.
I can remember pretty clearly the day I tried to open up discussion about global warming with my father. He laughed and said it could never happen, some lame brain trying to scare people, some radical environmentalists ranting... It's funny to me on some level, but now he writes to me talking about it so matter of factly, because now the "papers" and TV say it, so now it's actually real, whereas before it was just the wild ranting of his idealistic young daughter. :)
Some part of me, as that young idealist, never wanted to believe it would happen in my lifetime, I wanted my father to be right that maybe it was just a bunch of hoo haa. I never wanted to fully accept, though I knew in my heart, that the world I knew as a child would not be one I could offer to any child of my own if I were to choose to have one.
Some part of me still wants to deny it. It hurts sometimes way too much to really open myself to what I see as possible outcomes for future generations & this planet. I recently did a group visioning excercise with several people, looking into the future and seeing what was there. I will tell you that for a long time no one spoke. When they did, I am convinced that they were speaking more from imagination than from the truth of what they really saw; because it was too hard to speak what we really saw. Several of us shared after that this was indeed our experience, and I don't doubt that others also saw the bleakness and the scarcity, the polluted waters, the dead vehicles piled up everywhere with no gas to move them, the grocery stores empty and returning to nature, and barren trees.
I suppose on some level, every generation must feel this. Yet it seems in the past 30-50 years some of the most devastating effects to this planet and our people have been unfolding and the impacts are just now beginning to be really tangible and evident. So much so that there is it seems no recourse, no real easy way out of our current situations, except to see them thru, do the work and prepare ourselves for the worst, and pray for and hold space and intention consciously for the best possible outcome.
Our world is moving so fast and the realities facing us aren't going to just go away without being attended to. Our current situation has most people working so hard to barely survive that the average person has no time or energy to consider planning for the future of even themselves, much less our communities and our nation, and even our world. Many of these people feel a sense of powerlessness, a sense of "what can I do?" And then are so exhausted mentally and emotionally at the end of their work day that they just want to zone out and collapse into sleep.
Many of us can relate to that, probably almost everyone. I am calling it "Overwhelm Syndrome" these days as I'm seeing it, and hearing about it from every direction, and every age group, even the youth. I think on some level we all know that feeling: that the ride is just not totally in our control and we just have to hang on and try to make it to the finish line, any extra output or requirements just seem like way too much to bear. Helping our neighbors, shoot, even talking to them, contributing to our youth, volunteering, growing our own food, going to local council meetings to effect change, etc., that's all just far too much to add to the daily load for most people in this country. And I can say, with all honesty, that I understand, get it, feel that way a lot and totally have compassion for the experience. Fully.
I write to process my own thoughts, I write to remind myself of truths I know inside and I write to inspire and offer reflection. I write because it's something that I know may touch or open a doorway for another being to see possibility or feel connected in some way. I write because we share experiences, and when we write them for others to read it validates our experiences and reminds us that we are never alone in our experiences.
And tonite I write to invite the sharing of ACTIVATION of VISION!
Somewhere, deep within all of us who feel the pressure of this world and are affected by the scourging of the planet, and the depletion of it's resources, from oil to healthy soil to grow food in, somewhere there is a spark of possibility, a vision of a better way, a better world for our children, an easier way, more opportunity at health and harmony. I'm inviting you to VISION this future within yourself, write it down in detail, let it fly, imagine it, dream it and then share this with as many people as you can! AWAKEN THE VISION WITHIN and you may find that you are so NOT alone in what you see as a future possibility. The Entire Renaissance happened from less than 50,000 people. That's not a huge number.
Human beings are creatures of invention and the possibilities are infinite when we truly step up and become engaged in the creative process thru intelligent and focused dialogue, sharing, networking and communication. I'm not saying it's the easiest thing in the world, nor necessarily quick as true community dialogue and creativity is a process, and a lengthy one at times. However, there are solutions available to ANY and ALL of the crisis we are dealing with, and it is crucial in this time that we begin to focalize and learn to work together to create local systems that WORK EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. Systems of how to grow food for every family, how to support our local businesses and keep on keeping on if and when the greater system burps, hiccups or pukes on it's own foulness. There are probably already groups or events happening near you to plug in to. Find them, and be supported and be one of the contributors to bringing this forth for all of us.
If you haven't already: START NOW! Little steps lead to a long journey and a destination. If you don't take the first step, to VISION, then you can't take the next TO ACT. I know you're tired, and overwhelmed.. welcome to the club. But it's time for all of us to really take a step, then another one, and put this vision into ACTION so that our children and their children have a future here that is sustainable and intelligently contemplated to consider their well being.
There are indeed many beings awakening in this time to the stark reality with a committed passion to bring forth alternatives. Seek them out and be with them. Be with us! :)
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