Everything around is shifting, almost as in an earthquake. There's a pandemic, a social movement or a rebellion, a revolution in thinking. All we're missing is a hurricane (as I write this, the third named storm of this year is making its way along the gulf coast of Mexico, headed toward Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama (once it makes up its mind, we'll let you know).
We all agree the pandemic must go--although we vary in how seriously we take the steps recommended to get it to go away. Still, it has to be taken seriously, whether you are 19 or 90. There are 105,000 people dead as a result of this pandemic, and we really have no assurance when, or if, it will go away. We just know that Science will tackle and overcome it.
The social movement is a little harder to get our arms around. We have been vividly reminded of what young black men have known all their lives. They are often unfairly singled out by police and abused. Even worse they die, often at the hands of the very authorities that are assigned the task of protecting and serving all of us. I don't have to see anything more to know that we have to fix this. I realize there are some who deny this is happening, but I don't have time for them. We, as a society, must once and for all pass them by.
So, I know change has to take place that this has to be fixed. But the question is--how? As usual, some of the same old people are coming forward with their prescription. They might support having the government providing some new or expanded benefit for all. Others support new forms of training for police officers, or reform of the criminal justice system. Trouble is, even if these solutions are correct generally, we rely on politicians to put them in place. It becomes a matter of not what's right, but what their party tells them to support, or what they think will get them re-elected or what will increase their power--month about what is right or necessary. I have listened to all this crap for too long to have confidence that this change will take place. So, when someone demands change, I ask to what? I can’t tell you I have the answer, I almost surely do not.
Recently, I've rediscovered the concept of karma--not in the New Age sense of past lives coming forward into our lives to change them--but rather in the sense of being completely responsible for our own actions. Every time we perform a positive action we add to our "bank" of positive effect. In the same way, every time we take a negative action, we produce a deficit in this "bank." Our job is to keep the balance in this account. So when I condemn the person what says something, it is only myself and my karma that are negatively impacted. In the same way, when I injure someone physically or emotionally, I reduce the balance in my karmic account.
On the other hand, if I perform an act of kindness, or some other positive action like helping in a cause that aims to benefit others, I am adding to the balance in my karmic account. It's sometimes difficult to keep this in mind when we feel the urge to strike back at someone who has injured us in some way. But, with a lot of work, I can restore my karmic balance to the best level possible for me. At a time like this, when no one seems to have the answer to our challenges all across society or the world, I think it would be easier to find our way if we just try a little kindness instead of condemnation, forgiveness instead of retaliation. I can't change the world for the better, but I can hope to change my own self. I'm going to stay satisfied with point of view to get me through all of this and I can only hope that more will join me in moving this way. We cannot improve this world and society by breaking windows, tearing down buildings, looting the homes and businesses of others, and calling everyone who disagrees with us our enemy. We have to look for common ground and take positive action to help each other.
