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Fun and Change
In the summer of 1961 Dad took my older sister and me to the Tivoli Amusement Park in Copenhagen. As we screamed down a roller coaster mountain, Dad turned around and got this picture. We were having terrified fun! I doubt that our shrieking changed anything except to increase the amount of adrenalin in the world.
The photo is just about fun. In this Reflection I want us to consider if we can have fun, and be deadly serious about confronting the social, political, spiritual and environmental crises we face, and make necessary changes. Could it be that it would better serve our work for the planet and the greater good to have more fun?
Before we consider this question, let’s first dive into just plain old fun. How do we have fun in our lives? I’m talking about making our ordinary life situations more fun. I’m not talking about situations that are life-threatening, or tragic with great loss or harm or illness or injury where fun is not even a remote possibility. I’m also not talking about any kind of “fun” activity that would be at someone else’s expense or cause harm in any way.
The dictionary defines fun as “something that provides mirth or enjoyment.” I think having fun is often a matter of seeing things differently, or taking a situation or ourselves less seriously, or dropping expectations of how things should be. For me, a big part of having fun has to do with letting my inner child out to play. Even the usual chores can be more fun if we let ourselves play a little, which can happen anywhere, anytime. I can make a doodle on the envelope when I pay bills. I can whiz my cart down the (empty) grocery aisle at top speed. I can run the vacuum cleaner around the carpet to make curvy designs or do a little jig around the mop handle. If I listen to my inner child and see things through her eyes, (about age 4-10), the possibilities are endless. We overly serious and responsible types sometimes need to set aside our adult agenda, enjoy extra-curricular activities, and let our inner 5 year old take us out to play. One friend suggested “mandatory fun time.”
While we’re looking for more fun in our lives it’s helpful to look more deeply at the situations that cause us to feel frustrated or burdened to see if we might uncover thoughts and beliefs that are at the root of our difficulty. We could then put a more positive or at least neutral spin on the situation. Many of us have been raised to think that having fun is not responsible, and doesn’t serve the greater good. This belief definitely gets in the way of having fun and I’m seriously rethinking that unspoken commandment.
So now on to the question about having fun and making change. Several things inspire me to rethink the value of having fun while “saving the planet.” I think of the TPP protesters and climate change marchers who dressed up in costumes, and carried big colorful signs. They were clearly having a great time and having a big effect on changing policy.
Then there’s Jim Hightower. National radio commentator, public speaker, writer, journalist and popular progressive activist, Hightower is dedicated to change for the common good, and he has fun doing it. His writing is as witty and playful as it is powerfully truthful and informative. I love how he always calls Members of Congress “Congress Critters,” yet I’ve never known him to be disrespectful of anybody, He doesn’t hesitate to bring us the truth of how corrupt and unjust our political and economic systems are, but he always points to how and with whom we can join together for change. He does a regular newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown, which is informative and fun to read. As he says, “Joining with others for the great possibility of America is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.”
As author, humorist, and “cosmic comic” Steve Bhaerman says, ”Particularly in these times of crisis and evolution (both personal and planetary), whole-hearted laughter and mind-expanding humor will help us heal ourselves and be of greater use to others.”
Caroline Casey, visionary activist and mythologist, prays that “the path will open before us that we may be of maximum good while having the most serious and dedicated fun.”
Last month I asked “What ‘s Heaven on Earth for you?” This month, I ask “What’s fun for you and how can you have fun making change?” The two go well together, for as Martin Rutte says (Project Heaven on Earth), “Let’s create Heaven on Earth for the fun of it.” Let’s make change for the fun of it!
I’m having fun thinking about all the things that would be fun for me. What about you? Look, here’s Hafiz to give us some ideas. And my February Reflection on Happiness gives more food for fun.
A Suspended Blue Ocean
The sky
Is a suspended blue ocean.
The stars are the fish that swim.
The planets are the white whales
I sometimes hitch a ride on,
And the sun and all light
Have forever fused themselves
Into my heart and upon my skin.
There is only one rule
On this Wild Playground,
For every sign Hafiz has ever seen
Reads the same.
They all say,
“Have fun, my dear; my dear, have fun,
In the Beloved’s Divine Game,
O, in the Beloved’s
Wonderful Game.”
—Hafiz
Resources for Fun and Happiness
“A Brief History of Happiness; How America Lost Track of the Good Life—and Where to Find It Now,”
"Making a Difference Makes You Happy"
"Finding Happiness; 11 Simple Ways to Get Your Smile Back
"The 7-Step Morning Ritual That Will Make You Happy All Day"
Breaking These 13 Habits Will Make You Happier
The photo is just about fun. In this Reflection I want us to consider if we can have fun, and be deadly serious about confronting the social, political, spiritual and environmental crises we face, and make necessary changes. Could it be that it would better serve our work for the planet and the greater good to have more fun?
Before we consider this question, let’s first dive into just plain old fun. How do we have fun in our lives? I’m talking about making our ordinary life situations more fun. I’m not talking about situations that are life-threatening, or tragic with great loss or harm or illness or injury where fun is not even a remote possibility. I’m also not talking about any kind of “fun” activity that would be at someone else’s expense or cause harm in any way.
The dictionary defines fun as “something that provides mirth or enjoyment.” I think having fun is often a matter of seeing things differently, or taking a situation or ourselves less seriously, or dropping expectations of how things should be. For me, a big part of having fun has to do with letting my inner child out to play. Even the usual chores can be more fun if we let ourselves play a little, which can happen anywhere, anytime. I can make a doodle on the envelope when I pay bills. I can whiz my cart down the (empty) grocery aisle at top speed. I can run the vacuum cleaner around the carpet to make curvy designs or do a little jig around the mop handle. If I listen to my inner child and see things through her eyes, (about age 4-10), the possibilities are endless. We overly serious and responsible types sometimes need to set aside our adult agenda, enjoy extra-curricular activities, and let our inner 5 year old take us out to play. One friend suggested “mandatory fun time.”
While we’re looking for more fun in our lives it’s helpful to look more deeply at the situations that cause us to feel frustrated or burdened to see if we might uncover thoughts and beliefs that are at the root of our difficulty. We could then put a more positive or at least neutral spin on the situation. Many of us have been raised to think that having fun is not responsible, and doesn’t serve the greater good. This belief definitely gets in the way of having fun and I’m seriously rethinking that unspoken commandment.
So now on to the question about having fun and making change. Several things inspire me to rethink the value of having fun while “saving the planet.” I think of the TPP protesters and climate change marchers who dressed up in costumes, and carried big colorful signs. They were clearly having a great time and having a big effect on changing policy.
Then there’s Jim Hightower. National radio commentator, public speaker, writer, journalist and popular progressive activist, Hightower is dedicated to change for the common good, and he has fun doing it. His writing is as witty and playful as it is powerfully truthful and informative. I love how he always calls Members of Congress “Congress Critters,” yet I’ve never known him to be disrespectful of anybody, He doesn’t hesitate to bring us the truth of how corrupt and unjust our political and economic systems are, but he always points to how and with whom we can join together for change. He does a regular newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown, which is informative and fun to read. As he says, “Joining with others for the great possibility of America is as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.”
As author, humorist, and “cosmic comic” Steve Bhaerman says, ”Particularly in these times of crisis and evolution (both personal and planetary), whole-hearted laughter and mind-expanding humor will help us heal ourselves and be of greater use to others.”
Caroline Casey, visionary activist and mythologist, prays that “the path will open before us that we may be of maximum good while having the most serious and dedicated fun.”
Last month I asked “What ‘s Heaven on Earth for you?” This month, I ask “What’s fun for you and how can you have fun making change?” The two go well together, for as Martin Rutte says (Project Heaven on Earth), “Let’s create Heaven on Earth for the fun of it.” Let’s make change for the fun of it!
I’m having fun thinking about all the things that would be fun for me. What about you? Look, here’s Hafiz to give us some ideas. And my February Reflection on Happiness gives more food for fun.
A Suspended Blue Ocean
The sky
Is a suspended blue ocean.
The stars are the fish that swim.
The planets are the white whales
I sometimes hitch a ride on,
And the sun and all light
Have forever fused themselves
Into my heart and upon my skin.
There is only one rule
On this Wild Playground,
For every sign Hafiz has ever seen
Reads the same.
They all say,
“Have fun, my dear; my dear, have fun,
In the Beloved’s Divine Game,
O, in the Beloved’s
Wonderful Game.”
—Hafiz
Resources for Fun and Happiness
“A Brief History of Happiness; How America Lost Track of the Good Life—and Where to Find It Now,”
"Making a Difference Makes You Happy"
"Finding Happiness; 11 Simple Ways to Get Your Smile Back
"The 7-Step Morning Ritual That Will Make You Happy All Day"
Breaking These 13 Habits Will Make You Happier
The Desirable Story
I don’t care whom you voted for or against, or even if you didn’t vote at all. What I do care about is:1) that we understand and deal effectively with the pain most people in this country are in, 2) that we use this election as a wakeup call to look deeply at the reality of our present situation, 3) that we look at how and where we go from here, and 4) that we recognize that we have one common home—Earth—and we need to work and live for the common good of all.
Looking more deeply at pain, my own and others'
This election has shown us how much pain people in this country are in. Working-class folks are understandably angry that the American Dream is an illusion, that they are struggling financially, that much attention is focused on specific groups like Black Lives Matter, LGBT, immigrants and women, while they are seemingly ignored.
We deal with emotional or psychic pain as individuals, but we are not encouraged to understand or deal consciously and effectively with pain within our culture. It takes great courage to allow our pain to surface, to express the hurt so that it doesn’t come out as hatred, anger, blame and scapegoating “the other.”
If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each person’s story enough suffering and sorrow there to disarm all hostilities.
—Longfellow
More than anything, I think it would help if we recognize that the economic and political system that benefits only a few is at the root of a great deal of the pain people feel. Until we address that, people will continue to suffer and express their pain in anger and hatred of one another. We have an unjust and unsustainable system that puts profit over people and the planet.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 8:12
My own “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is primarily about how this election was such a shocking assault on the human values of dignity, civility, respect and inclusiveness. It’s about how it unleashed and tolerated violence, anger, hatred, meanness and fear-mongering. That energy is now embedded in our future president! It makes me unbearably sad to see what we are doing to each other, to other living beings and to the planet. If the description of the steps of the grieving process are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, then I am definitely not done grieving because I continue to cycle through these phases.
If you are grieving, for whatever reason, you might find my column on Despair helpful. (February 2015)
Reality, Crisis, Opportunity
We need to look squarely and clearly at the reality and dangers ahead of us. I’m not talking about reality in the spiritual sense with a capital R. I’m talking about the reality in the United States at this post-election moment. We have much to worry about for the safety of people of color, non-Christian people, immigrants, people with different gender identities. We have much to worry about for the health of the environment. We must be watchful for and counter the rising tide of hatred and hate crimes, standing up to injustice with fierce love. We also need to recognize that there are people who want to maintain the status quo, who actually want to generate hate, to persecute and malign others. This is a harsh reality.
So what do we do? To paraphrase Fr. Richard Rohr, We need to learn how to live in hope, joy and freedom even when and if the so-called bad guys are in charge. Prepare for the worst. As we say in Christian language, be prepared for the cross. Be prepared for things to fall apart. Hope and work for the best.
Part of our wakeup call is realizing we need to connect with each other in ways we haven’t tried before. We need to listen and try to understand widely divergent points of view so that we may find common ground. We need to see beyond our ethnic, gender, political, religious and class identities, and see each other first as brother and sister human beings.
There is also great opportunity now for justice and peace movements to come together. We can see that this is already happening. Just look at the large and diverse support at Standing Rock to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. There is growing awareness that our economic and political system must change for the good of people and the planet. States and local communities are taking action to end political corruption and build strong local economies. I heartily recommend YES! magazine and The Optimist to bring you this kind of news.
Where and how do we go from here?
First of all, let us envision a desirable story, a desirable society, a desirable planet future. We can spend a great deal of time “beating the drum of what we don’t want.” (Esther Hicks, The Law of Attraction). That attitude is all the more likely to bring about that reality. We must condemn and resist any behavior or policy that undermines the well being of people and the planet, but we must also focus on and work for what we DO want. Let us not be so much “anti-something or someone” as “for.” Let’s adopt the example of the Native Americans and people at Standing Rock who demonstrate as protectors, not protesters, in their nonviolent effort to stop the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Enjoy the heartening photo in my newsletter of the kid holding the sign, HONK FOR KINDNESS. Yes, that is what we are for.
Whatever activism we engage in, how we do it—our spirit and attitude—is as important as what we do. I like CODEPINK’s call to us: "Rise, Love, Resist." To that I would add that we need to inform ourselves and build systems in our local communities that do work. We need to support people who will work for positive change. In spite of already busy lives, we need to make room for activism. My column on activism (July 2016) will give you some ideas.
We are determined to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream. —Martin Luther King, Jr. 1955
Our common home
If we imagine all Earth’s people living in one house on five acres, we’d have to figure out how to get along, how to feed and provide water for everyone, among other things. If someone dug up the garden looking for gold, we’d have to choose between eating and having useless pieces of metal around. We wouldn’t tolerate someone trashing the kitchen and not cleaning it up. We’d learn to share. We’d learn to resolve conflicts and disagreement without shooting one another. We would make decisions for the common good.
HONK FOR OUR COMMON HOME!
Looking more deeply at pain, my own and others'
This election has shown us how much pain people in this country are in. Working-class folks are understandably angry that the American Dream is an illusion, that they are struggling financially, that much attention is focused on specific groups like Black Lives Matter, LGBT, immigrants and women, while they are seemingly ignored.
We deal with emotional or psychic pain as individuals, but we are not encouraged to understand or deal consciously and effectively with pain within our culture. It takes great courage to allow our pain to surface, to express the hurt so that it doesn’t come out as hatred, anger, blame and scapegoating “the other.”
If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each person’s story enough suffering and sorrow there to disarm all hostilities.
—Longfellow
More than anything, I think it would help if we recognize that the economic and political system that benefits only a few is at the root of a great deal of the pain people feel. Until we address that, people will continue to suffer and express their pain in anger and hatred of one another. We have an unjust and unsustainable system that puts profit over people and the planet.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 8:12
My own “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is primarily about how this election was such a shocking assault on the human values of dignity, civility, respect and inclusiveness. It’s about how it unleashed and tolerated violence, anger, hatred, meanness and fear-mongering. That energy is now embedded in our future president! It makes me unbearably sad to see what we are doing to each other, to other living beings and to the planet. If the description of the steps of the grieving process are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, then I am definitely not done grieving because I continue to cycle through these phases.
If you are grieving, for whatever reason, you might find my column on Despair helpful. (February 2015)
Reality, Crisis, Opportunity
We need to look squarely and clearly at the reality and dangers ahead of us. I’m not talking about reality in the spiritual sense with a capital R. I’m talking about the reality in the United States at this post-election moment. We have much to worry about for the safety of people of color, non-Christian people, immigrants, people with different gender identities. We have much to worry about for the health of the environment. We must be watchful for and counter the rising tide of hatred and hate crimes, standing up to injustice with fierce love. We also need to recognize that there are people who want to maintain the status quo, who actually want to generate hate, to persecute and malign others. This is a harsh reality.
So what do we do? To paraphrase Fr. Richard Rohr, We need to learn how to live in hope, joy and freedom even when and if the so-called bad guys are in charge. Prepare for the worst. As we say in Christian language, be prepared for the cross. Be prepared for things to fall apart. Hope and work for the best.
Part of our wakeup call is realizing we need to connect with each other in ways we haven’t tried before. We need to listen and try to understand widely divergent points of view so that we may find common ground. We need to see beyond our ethnic, gender, political, religious and class identities, and see each other first as brother and sister human beings.
There is also great opportunity now for justice and peace movements to come together. We can see that this is already happening. Just look at the large and diverse support at Standing Rock to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. There is growing awareness that our economic and political system must change for the good of people and the planet. States and local communities are taking action to end political corruption and build strong local economies. I heartily recommend YES! magazine and The Optimist to bring you this kind of news.
Where and how do we go from here?
First of all, let us envision a desirable story, a desirable society, a desirable planet future. We can spend a great deal of time “beating the drum of what we don’t want.” (Esther Hicks, The Law of Attraction). That attitude is all the more likely to bring about that reality. We must condemn and resist any behavior or policy that undermines the well being of people and the planet, but we must also focus on and work for what we DO want. Let us not be so much “anti-something or someone” as “for.” Let’s adopt the example of the Native Americans and people at Standing Rock who demonstrate as protectors, not protesters, in their nonviolent effort to stop the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Enjoy the heartening photo in my newsletter of the kid holding the sign, HONK FOR KINDNESS. Yes, that is what we are for.
Whatever activism we engage in, how we do it—our spirit and attitude—is as important as what we do. I like CODEPINK’s call to us: "Rise, Love, Resist." To that I would add that we need to inform ourselves and build systems in our local communities that do work. We need to support people who will work for positive change. In spite of already busy lives, we need to make room for activism. My column on activism (July 2016) will give you some ideas.
We are determined to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream. —Martin Luther King, Jr. 1955
Our common home
If we imagine all Earth’s people living in one house on five acres, we’d have to figure out how to get along, how to feed and provide water for everyone, among other things. If someone dug up the garden looking for gold, we’d have to choose between eating and having useless pieces of metal around. We wouldn’t tolerate someone trashing the kitchen and not cleaning it up. We’d learn to share. We’d learn to resolve conflicts and disagreement without shooting one another. We would make decisions for the common good.
HONK FOR OUR COMMON HOME!
WE FIRST: Stories We Live, and Could Die By
What are the stories we tell ourselves about the world we live in? What do we believe? We need to take a realistic look at these stories and beliefs so that we are not deluded into thinking everything is okay, or will be okay if only. . .
It's about WE. ALL OF US. My inspiration for this exploration comes from an article about David Korten’s New Year’s Resolution, in which he focuses his, and our, attention and intention on coming together as one people. We know things are terribly wrong these days but we hardly know where to start to address the problems. It helps to begin with what we are telling ourselves that prevent us from making necessary change.
Here are some false stories and beliefs that many of us have that prevent us from moving forward for the benefit of all Life. We might believe. . .
We are not interdependent and interconnected with all life and the ecosphere.
We humans are somehow “above it all,” and don’t need to seriously consider the impact of what we do on anything or anyone else.
We can feel free to satisfy our appetites for material wealth, as well as our desire for power over other lives.
We humans are a superior species; and some of us even consider ourselves superior to others of our own species.
We may feel a sense of entitlement, with unlimited rights to go after all we desire. We may live within our personal or family budget, but we don’t think we need to live within Earth’s limits.
We can go ahead with whatever practice or innovations we create (like cloning or artificial intelligence, gene editing or robots) without consideration of the consequences.
We live in a democracy.
Speaking of myths, Dave Korten says, “It is deeply deflating to realize just how much of what we call Western civilization is built on deceptions: The myth of the lone individual; the myth of freedom without responsibility for our neighbor; the myth that societies built on the exploitation of people and nature are advanced civilizations morally superior to the peoples they devastate; the myth that rule by the richest among us is a form of democracy.” He goes on:
“The problem isn’t me. It isn’t you. Nor is it those folks over there. The problem is we. The big we, humanity: What we believe, how we live, how we relate to one another and Earth.”
It's time to put WE FIRST!
Our time starts now!
My February Newsletter, "We First! Changing Together"
It's about WE. ALL OF US. My inspiration for this exploration comes from an article about David Korten’s New Year’s Resolution, in which he focuses his, and our, attention and intention on coming together as one people. We know things are terribly wrong these days but we hardly know where to start to address the problems. It helps to begin with what we are telling ourselves that prevent us from making necessary change.
Here are some false stories and beliefs that many of us have that prevent us from moving forward for the benefit of all Life. We might believe. . .
We are not interdependent and interconnected with all life and the ecosphere.
We humans are somehow “above it all,” and don’t need to seriously consider the impact of what we do on anything or anyone else.
We can feel free to satisfy our appetites for material wealth, as well as our desire for power over other lives.
We humans are a superior species; and some of us even consider ourselves superior to others of our own species.
We may feel a sense of entitlement, with unlimited rights to go after all we desire. We may live within our personal or family budget, but we don’t think we need to live within Earth’s limits.
We can go ahead with whatever practice or innovations we create (like cloning or artificial intelligence, gene editing or robots) without consideration of the consequences.
We live in a democracy.
Speaking of myths, Dave Korten says, “It is deeply deflating to realize just how much of what we call Western civilization is built on deceptions: The myth of the lone individual; the myth of freedom without responsibility for our neighbor; the myth that societies built on the exploitation of people and nature are advanced civilizations morally superior to the peoples they devastate; the myth that rule by the richest among us is a form of democracy.” He goes on:
“The problem isn’t me. It isn’t you. Nor is it those folks over there. The problem is we. The big we, humanity: What we believe, how we live, how we relate to one another and Earth.”
It's time to put WE FIRST!
Our time starts now!
My February Newsletter, "We First! Changing Together"
Where does the expression “What gets your goat?” come from?
The most common story is that in older days goats were stabled with racehorses as calming company. A person with ill will and malicious intent might steal the goat before the race and the horse, upset and anxious, would race poorly.
Earlier this month I was driving by a local farm which pastures some 240 goats, and was led to think of what gets MY goat? And inspired to ask, what gets YOUR goat? How do we get them back?
What gets my goat? (Just to mention a few.)
What got my goat on February 15th was our president proclaiming a national emergency so he could build his border wall. My goat erupted in anger and leapt out of her corral, enraged at this new shocking abuse of power and disregard for the rule of law, another insult to what remains of our democracy. As one commentator put it, "It's like calling 911 because your pizza delivery is late."
What gets my goat is that Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader of the House, when referring to the Green New Deal, said, "The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they're for it, right?" This close-minded, dismissive attitude is not only disrespectful, but counter-productive at a critical time for humanity.
Excessive packaging, usually plastic, gets my goat, as does excessive, invasive advertizing.
What brings my goat back?
Good news brings my goat back.
On that same day of the “national emergency," my hair dresser told me that someone had told her, quite correctly, that cattle are a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. She said she would stop eating beef. Just the day before that a bipartisan measure was passed in the U.S. Senate to expand and create new national parks and monuments, and protect millions of acres from development and mining.
What brings my goat back is all the people who are working on all levels of life for justice, democracy, equity, and environmental protection. I am excited by all the students and young people who are rising up to demand action on climate change. See all about The Sunrise Movement.
I bring my goat back by reminding myself that my job is to be as kind and caring and loving and generous as I possibly can be. And do what I possibly can do to bring a new world into being. If I put out good energy in place of negative stuff, or do something caring and kind for someone else or myself or the planet, my goat will wander back to her corral through the open gate.
I should also add that it helps to have a tantrum from time to time: weep and wail, scream, throw things (that won’t hurt anything) to release the built-up energy.
Things are inevitably gonna get our goats. We just need to be sure to bring them home again.
My March Newsletter, Mincing No Words
The most common story is that in older days goats were stabled with racehorses as calming company. A person with ill will and malicious intent might steal the goat before the race and the horse, upset and anxious, would race poorly.
Earlier this month I was driving by a local farm which pastures some 240 goats, and was led to think of what gets MY goat? And inspired to ask, what gets YOUR goat? How do we get them back?
What gets my goat? (Just to mention a few.)
What got my goat on February 15th was our president proclaiming a national emergency so he could build his border wall. My goat erupted in anger and leapt out of her corral, enraged at this new shocking abuse of power and disregard for the rule of law, another insult to what remains of our democracy. As one commentator put it, "It's like calling 911 because your pizza delivery is late."
What gets my goat is that Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader of the House, when referring to the Green New Deal, said, "The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they're for it, right?" This close-minded, dismissive attitude is not only disrespectful, but counter-productive at a critical time for humanity.
Excessive packaging, usually plastic, gets my goat, as does excessive, invasive advertizing.
What brings my goat back?
Good news brings my goat back.
On that same day of the “national emergency," my hair dresser told me that someone had told her, quite correctly, that cattle are a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. She said she would stop eating beef. Just the day before that a bipartisan measure was passed in the U.S. Senate to expand and create new national parks and monuments, and protect millions of acres from development and mining.
What brings my goat back is all the people who are working on all levels of life for justice, democracy, equity, and environmental protection. I am excited by all the students and young people who are rising up to demand action on climate change. See all about The Sunrise Movement.
I bring my goat back by reminding myself that my job is to be as kind and caring and loving and generous as I possibly can be. And do what I possibly can do to bring a new world into being. If I put out good energy in place of negative stuff, or do something caring and kind for someone else or myself or the planet, my goat will wander back to her corral through the open gate.
I should also add that it helps to have a tantrum from time to time: weep and wail, scream, throw things (that won’t hurt anything) to release the built-up energy.
Things are inevitably gonna get our goats. We just need to be sure to bring them home again.
My March Newsletter, Mincing No Words