Steady

The day is opening with a soft pink light and the air is cool - we are still in the morning temperatures in the 40's, farenheit.  Cool, and inviting for a walk to the sea.  Acknowledging the blessings in life, grateful for the day, once again.

The tragedies keep staying at the center of news about what is happening in the world.  The reports of lost lives, the details of how lives were taken, the expansion into updates about wars across the globe make it hard to remain steady.  Yet staying grounded and connected to the work that is before each one, needs to continue.  Awareness is not the same as absorption.  

One does not need to allow the confusion, ruthlessness, and deception to be the main themes in life.  Every day, there are those who are making the choice to acknowledge the fact of violence and do something about it to stop or reduce it. Every day, there are those who are sharing their talents and gifts in order to nurture the aspects of life that affirm love and compassion.  Every day, one can note that there are many more examples of humanity that wants to move in the direction of harmony, than there are examples of harm.  

One needs to remember that reports in the news are the highlights that the media industry wants to share.  The industry drive is sometimes out of wanting the public to be on notice of an important change;  sometimes it is out of needing to sell ads - mostly, it is about highlighting human folly because their marketing analysis says that is what gets attention.

Staying steady and knowing that reality includes many more stories of every day kindness and care is key.  To be in possession of that knowledge comes from being engaged in the world, whether it is in one's daily routine or in supporting a broad movement for social change.  In daily, ordinary life one knows that there are people and places that are moving in concert with one another to ensure that we don't lose our collective balance.  There is a sense that even when things in the world seem to be spinning, the spin is happening with skill so that once things move to a new moment, one will land with both feet on the ground.

Staying steady and trusting that the feeling of being lifted into the air, without knowing what might happen next is powerful.  The next move could be exactly the thing that can lead to a breakthrough.  Right now, a breakthrough beyond the violence and tragedy is what everyone needs.