Life as we know it
Opportunity knocks
The current coronavirus epidemic may be the one thing that provides the opportunity for us to save us from ourselves.
When it comes to aspects of our lives that appear to be so critically important in our everyday life; the rise of this biological threat to our existence, to our culture and societal norms, is forcing us to rethink the efficacy of our life as well as our socio-political constructs.
Our culture of consumerism, of self aggrandizement, of class and cultural labeling, has brought us to the point of extinction. We, with eyes wide open, persist in destroying our health, our environment, and our humanity, for the paltry prize of being successful as defined by the skewed values of our culture.
Many times in my life it has been the the most tragic and personally challenging moments that have caused me to reflect and rethink my positions. I think this is what is occurring with the onslaught of this global pandemic.
The human race has been addicted to the rewards of a failing cultural experiment. One that we all created and perpetuate for fulfillment of self serving goals.
We have failed as stewards of our home, this tiny blue marble, and we have altered our environment so drastically that we may not even have a survivable future with the lack of a habitable climate.
The virus, this tiny living inhabitant of our planet, has arisen at this time for reasons we’ll never know. It has singlehandedly decimated our lives, our economy, and shattered any false sense of security that we held on to that our perceived supremacy as humans over nature was enough to conquer all.
We now have an unprecedented opportunity to make the shift away from this failed cultural exercise and towards life and living as we were intended, as human beings sharing this world more harmoniously, respecting all life, all of nature.
‘Pie in the sky’ some might say, but I don’t think we have a choice; if we are to survive we have to respect the natural laws instead of attempting to intellectually out think them or technologically overpower them.
Nature holds all the cards in this game and we can either get a firm grasp on that premise and flow with it, or act as we have been for many decades now like petulant, spoiled, and emotionally immature children, in effect, adding ourselves to the ever growing list of living beings going extinct in the near future.
If you think that there is a political position, a scientific approach, or even an environmental policy that will alter this scenario of humanity running itself off the edge of this cliff, then you are a fool.
You are the cause, and you are the only solution. It is how you live your life every single day and in every moment of that day that makes the difference. Our adoption and blind adherence to values that undermine our natural inclinations towards loving kindness, compassion, and acceptance of others, not only humans but also all life that exists, tears at the very fabric of the natural world.
Be aware, examine yourself, your actions, your inactions, be aware of every word you speak, every action. What are your intentions, did you intend to use those words or actions to hurt or to heal? What is it that prompts you to say or do hurtful things rather than to be understanding and inclusive in your thought processes and actions?
Ones ‘eyes’ are never more clear and focused than when we can effectively understand and respect the plight of others without all of our self imposed cultural baggage and labeling.
It may be too late for our species, but we can choose whether to go down ‘swatting at gnats and swallowing a camel’ or awaken to the self created mechanisms of our demise and turn away from them.
We are all members of the human family. All people are beautiful examples of this wonderful species, not enemies, not acceptable or unacceptable based upon our color, geographic location, cultural, political, or economic status, for such narrow-minded discrimination is based upon the very cultural standards that are at the heart of our failures as a species.
We can either choose to be open, accepting, understanding, compassionate, and loving, as is our original nature, or just go on with our wild and ignorant sprint of selfish fulfillment that effectively drives us all off the cliff.
