Anticipation

Today the skies are clear, after a beautiful evening of moon and stars. The temperature is 48 degrees fahrenheit. Today is Monday.

Every day, life is unfolding in ways that are expanding and contracting the possible next stages of our relations across the world. It is not clear what will happen, as some are in the midst of unprecedented violence, while others are in celebration and nurturing, and still others are finding moments of joy in the middle of struggle. The common thread is anticipation. All are either explicitly or implicitly anticipating what will happen and who will emerge as the voice of preserving life on the planet – Where will human and other life forms land?

At the moment, things are very unclear and seem like nonsense.

Negotiations are happening on a global scale as well as in micro-cosmic settings such as workplaces. At COP28 in Dubai, the experience of having fallen through the looking glass was evident as leaders of that convening were the very owners of enterprises that are destroying environments in places where fossil fuels have been extracted for years. At the national level in this country, we have entered the presidential cycle and the energy this year will be thrown into politics that will decide where this nation will stand on issues of environment, women's health, poverty reduction, freedoms of speech, religion, and association. The fact that all these topics will occupy the news means that cleansing the mind and soul will be more important than ever. Why? Because public discourse has devolved into manic/depressive cycles and without a way to clear oneself - the chances of getting lost increase. For now, it's easy to see that the whole world is lost.

The direction of the world is what is being anticipated. This is a state in which nothing is clear, except the knowledge that nothing is clear. It is a state of knowing that one does not know. And this is often accompanied by anxiety, fear, and doubt. Instead of this, the energy could move toward confidence – yes, to trust and have faith that another direction is possible.

What might give way to greater hope? Some say there has to be a move toward proposals that can hold both interests: sovereignty and compassion. Thinking about the fact of human flow (immigration/migration) across the world and all of the reasons why families would leave all that they know behind.

Anticipation and confidence are at play. There is faith that things can and will be better in another place. What place? The place on the planet that tells people that there is a voice they can have in governance. There is freedom. There is opportunity. There is a deep and abiding belief in welcoming "the stranger", as taught in the sacred text known as the bible. But sovereignty is the issue of the day. What do we know?

Compassion alone is not enough; sovereignty manifests as cruel rejection. There is another way.