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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
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
JUST DO SOMETHING
We may be worried, scared, outraged, sad, disgusted and horrified about what’s happening in our world, but we are not helpless to make change. There are those who put profit and their own aggrandizement over the well-being of people and the planet, but we have individual and collective power to overcome this force. This month I feature the voices of people who inspire, encourage and give good advice for troubled times. They also give us guidance about how we can help create a better world.
The wisdom of Joanna Macy:
"This is a dark time, filled with suffering and uncertainty. Like living cells in a larger body, it is natural that we feel the trauma of our world. So don’t be afraid of the anguish you feel, or the anger or fear, because these responses arise from the depth of your caring and the truth of your interconnectedness with all beings.. . . You don't need to do everything. Do what calls your heart; effective action comes from love. It is unstoppable, and it is enough."
I regularly read "Today's Edition Newsletter by Robert Hubbell," whose presentations are factually informative and always end on a positive note. Here are his Concluding Thoughts on Friday, March 18th.
“Although we should give ourselves regular breaks from the constant stream of news, we cannot afford the luxury of withdrawing from the struggle for long periods of time. Yes, our struggle is challenging, but the alternative—giving up—is simply not an option. Follow when you can, lead if you are able, and rest when necessary. And then rejoin the fight. To the extent possible during these unsettled times, I hope you can find peace and comfort with friends and family this weekend. Talk to you on Monday!” Learn more and subscribe here.
“Today Do This! makes it everybody’s responsibility to change the world for the better.” This post is published every Friday. The authors write: “For too long, we’ve all been led to believe that we, as individuals, can’t do anything about the state of the world. We’re too small, too inexperienced, too ignorant of the situation, too lacking in talent or connections or influence. We don’t buy that. Each and every one of us — through our actions, or inaction — bears some responsibility for making the world how it is. And it’s our small individual actions today that create big collective change tomorrow."Read more here.
Subscribe here.
Jessica Craven publishes "Chop Wood, Carry Water," which gives readers a daily action regarding legislation in the US Congress. She also briefly shares her personal thoughts which are always insightful and encouraging. Here’s some advice she posted in mid-March.
“It’s entirely normal to feel sad and scared right now. The world is in a terribly difficult place, and if one only watches or reads the news it can feel profoundly overwhelming. The way I get through it is, as Mr. Rogers said, to 'look for the helpers.' They are everywhere. Once I find them I try to help them. It immediately takes me out of my crippling sadness and fear. For me this ‘help the helpers’ approach is always the answer. Whether it’s helping those helping Ukrainians, helping good elected officials do their jobs, helping advance great causes, or helping great candidates who want to improve the world, there are so many ways to serve the cause of good.” Subscribe here.
My own concluding thoughts:
Don’t give up or give in to despair, which leads to inaction. Those who want to keep business as usual and control the agenda want just that.
Do something, however small, to contribute to the well-being of people, all life and the planet.
As Jessica Craven says, "Our voices matter. Our pushback matters. Don't forget it."
The wisdom of Joanna Macy:
"This is a dark time, filled with suffering and uncertainty. Like living cells in a larger body, it is natural that we feel the trauma of our world. So don’t be afraid of the anguish you feel, or the anger or fear, because these responses arise from the depth of your caring and the truth of your interconnectedness with all beings.. . . You don't need to do everything. Do what calls your heart; effective action comes from love. It is unstoppable, and it is enough."
I regularly read "Today's Edition Newsletter by Robert Hubbell," whose presentations are factually informative and always end on a positive note. Here are his Concluding Thoughts on Friday, March 18th.
“Although we should give ourselves regular breaks from the constant stream of news, we cannot afford the luxury of withdrawing from the struggle for long periods of time. Yes, our struggle is challenging, but the alternative—giving up—is simply not an option. Follow when you can, lead if you are able, and rest when necessary. And then rejoin the fight. To the extent possible during these unsettled times, I hope you can find peace and comfort with friends and family this weekend. Talk to you on Monday!” Learn more and subscribe here.
“Today Do This! makes it everybody’s responsibility to change the world for the better.” This post is published every Friday. The authors write: “For too long, we’ve all been led to believe that we, as individuals, can’t do anything about the state of the world. We’re too small, too inexperienced, too ignorant of the situation, too lacking in talent or connections or influence. We don’t buy that. Each and every one of us — through our actions, or inaction — bears some responsibility for making the world how it is. And it’s our small individual actions today that create big collective change tomorrow."Read more here.
Subscribe here.
Jessica Craven publishes "Chop Wood, Carry Water," which gives readers a daily action regarding legislation in the US Congress. She also briefly shares her personal thoughts which are always insightful and encouraging. Here’s some advice she posted in mid-March.
“It’s entirely normal to feel sad and scared right now. The world is in a terribly difficult place, and if one only watches or reads the news it can feel profoundly overwhelming. The way I get through it is, as Mr. Rogers said, to 'look for the helpers.' They are everywhere. Once I find them I try to help them. It immediately takes me out of my crippling sadness and fear. For me this ‘help the helpers’ approach is always the answer. Whether it’s helping those helping Ukrainians, helping good elected officials do their jobs, helping advance great causes, or helping great candidates who want to improve the world, there are so many ways to serve the cause of good.” Subscribe here.
My own concluding thoughts:
Don’t give up or give in to despair, which leads to inaction. Those who want to keep business as usual and control the agenda want just that.
Do something, however small, to contribute to the well-being of people, all life and the planet.
As Jessica Craven says, "Our voices matter. Our pushback matters. Don't forget it."
IF I HAD A HAMMER
The mass shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24th tipped me over the edge of tolerance for gun worship and violence in this country. "The Hammer Song," by Peter, Paul and Mary perfectly expressed some of my feelings. The following articles added to my understanding of the problem and I hope it will for you
"Why Politics is Both Poison and the Cure."
In this article the author quotes a friend saying, “Let’s not be OK. Let’s find power in not being OK. Let’s honor our brokenness—and the brokenness of our country—by finding the collective strength to fight for change.” The author says we don't need a complex philosophical descriptor to explain the wearying condition of being ripped apart, heartsick and furious, before launching back into the fight, shattered but still awake and still committed. "This is just what life is now. We take care of one another and ourselves to go on to do the work. We can bike, read, plant our gardens, organize, vote, march, donate, and be kind. Finding ways to marry the brokenness to the work is a part of the work itself."
"The Epidemic of Mass Shootings Is Neither Inevitable Nor Unsolvable"
The author of this article has studied case histories of mass shooters for many years, and looks at the motivation and process by which mass shooters decide to act. He also addresses the solutions to this epidemic: Continuing a relentless, long-term effort to strengthen our nation’s gun laws; quashing a surge in violent political extremism; investing in a lacking mental health care system; building community-based violence prevention programs. "We can start by rejecting the big politicized myths that stand in our way."
"Don’t Forget the First Half of the Second Amendment"
This article addresses the Second Amendment of the Constitution that Americans now interpret as a law saying any person can own any kind of weapon they want. But we need to pay attention to what it really says. "The purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect “the security of a free state” by means of a “well-regulated militia”—not to guarantee a state of anarchy ruled by mobs with guns. The 'absolutist interpretation' of the Second Amendment is the antithesis of what the Framers intended." Quote from Robert Hubbell in his 6/9 Newsletter.
We are hardly free from fear these days and our safety is anything but sure. We want freedom for kids to go to school and parents to send them to school without fearing they will be shot. We want freedom for adults to go the grocery store or to gather at a church or nightclub without fearing they’ll be gunned down. There are essentially no regulations for gun ownership, and particularly no regulations that says civilians should not own weapons of war, namely assault rifles.
Thoughts and prayers for victims of gun violence are not enough. Go to my July newsletter for a list of three excellent organizations addressing gun violence and other good related items. It is time to put mass pressure on lawmakers to do something significant to address the gun violence epidemic.
"Why Politics is Both Poison and the Cure."
In this article the author quotes a friend saying, “Let’s not be OK. Let’s find power in not being OK. Let’s honor our brokenness—and the brokenness of our country—by finding the collective strength to fight for change.” The author says we don't need a complex philosophical descriptor to explain the wearying condition of being ripped apart, heartsick and furious, before launching back into the fight, shattered but still awake and still committed. "This is just what life is now. We take care of one another and ourselves to go on to do the work. We can bike, read, plant our gardens, organize, vote, march, donate, and be kind. Finding ways to marry the brokenness to the work is a part of the work itself."
"The Epidemic of Mass Shootings Is Neither Inevitable Nor Unsolvable"
The author of this article has studied case histories of mass shooters for many years, and looks at the motivation and process by which mass shooters decide to act. He also addresses the solutions to this epidemic: Continuing a relentless, long-term effort to strengthen our nation’s gun laws; quashing a surge in violent political extremism; investing in a lacking mental health care system; building community-based violence prevention programs. "We can start by rejecting the big politicized myths that stand in our way."
"Don’t Forget the First Half of the Second Amendment"
This article addresses the Second Amendment of the Constitution that Americans now interpret as a law saying any person can own any kind of weapon they want. But we need to pay attention to what it really says. "The purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect “the security of a free state” by means of a “well-regulated militia”—not to guarantee a state of anarchy ruled by mobs with guns. The 'absolutist interpretation' of the Second Amendment is the antithesis of what the Framers intended." Quote from Robert Hubbell in his 6/9 Newsletter.
We are hardly free from fear these days and our safety is anything but sure. We want freedom for kids to go to school and parents to send them to school without fearing they will be shot. We want freedom for adults to go the grocery store or to gather at a church or nightclub without fearing they’ll be gunned down. There are essentially no regulations for gun ownership, and particularly no regulations that says civilians should not own weapons of war, namely assault rifles.
Thoughts and prayers for victims of gun violence are not enough. Go to my July newsletter for a list of three excellent organizations addressing gun violence and other good related items. It is time to put mass pressure on lawmakers to do something significant to address the gun violence epidemic.