Tremors..
Is it just me or is there a “tremor in the force” lately? Perhaps it’s just my mid-life crisis, but I must say I’m not comfortable with that trite explanation. (I am also reminded by a friend of mine that, if 51 is “mid-life”, where are all the 102-year-olds?) But across a colorful spectrum of friends, family, and acquaintances in my world there seems to be change and upheaval and re-invention in evidence everywhere I look.
Those of us with a few miles on us are products of the battles we have fought, whether we have won or lost. We carry the scars of the wounds that failed to kill us – some hidden, and some right out in the open. It is said that whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. I would argue that whatever has the power and potential to “kill us” but does not, may not necessarily leave us stronger, but certainly leaves us forever changed.
Four years ago one of my good friends tried to kill himself. This wasn’t one of your garden variety suicide gestures. He calmly got up from the dinner table, went out in the yard, poured a gallon and a half of lawnmower gas over himself, and set himself afire. Some said it was a call for help. I couldn’t help but admire the courage of the caller. The message that I got from this startling event, which my friend survived – changed altogether inside and out, but that’s a story for another day - the message that I got is that we are all vulnerable; that there are times when we are all closer to the edge than even those who love us might know; that in the end, no one can really know what is in the mind of another, no matter how close they feel that they are; no matter how intimate the association.
If we accept that premise, we are morally charged to err on the side of forgiveness, generosity, and compassion. Some may fear that in this mode we may be taken for granted, or subject to manipulation, or less than competitive. I say that the best defense is rarely a good offense. The best defense is tireless and patient deflection until the “enemy” realizes that he can never win – or better yet – that we may not be his enemy at all.
Call me wacky. I strongly feel that there are powerful forces at work in the universe right now. I suspect that you’re still reading because you feel them too. It is a time to lay aside foolish things and pay attention. We don’t have to send checks off to relief agencies, (though that is a good and noble thing to do). We can help right here. We can look around with eyes and minds open. We can look for opportunities to connect with loved ones, and those we meet. We can do the little things like being kind and reaching out.
One of the attractions of this beautiful area we enjoy is that there is both economic and cultural diversity. Though we have less ethnic diversity than more populous areas around us, we have other interesting cultural differences. We are native northwesterners and new arrivals. We are yacht club members and LaborReady hopefuls. We are Shawn Hannity believers and Al Franken readers. Strangely enough, we all want the same things: peace and safety - home and family - interesting friends and rewarding work - time to travel and play.
It’s an election year. The politicians will be pushing polarization. Except for religion, it is the most divisive force in modern culture. But let’s just go crazy! Let’s think “outside the box”. (Literally. Kill your TV.) This year let’s focus on our similarities. Let’s make life a little easier for each other. Let’s agree to treat the people who help us at the store, or the people in the lineup for the Narrows with some recognition of our commonality.