gravity
It is only when I understand how much there is to learn that I am able to learn anything at all. A statement that may or may not prove to be true.
But lately, it just seems that the world is filled with craziness. Crazy weather, crazy tragedy, crazy politics. Some days it just makes me want to crawl back into bed and hide my head under the covers.
Which, of course, I don’t do, I am too busy to stay in bed and besides, I would get claustrophobic. Some days, I don’t watch or listen to the news at all. And I have mixed feelings about this. It definitely makes it easier to feel happy if I don’t hear about all the sad or crazy things going on, but then I feel guilty, like I am hiding out, taking the easy way out.
Except when I do listen, I usually end up feeling helpless, and sometimes even hopeless, and I don’t like feeling that way, either.
It probably all comes down to balance, staying aware but not driving myself crazy. But some days I just want to scream at this country to get their priorities straight.
Should we allow a very rich, supercilious celebrity to question the legitimacy of our President? We do. Should we continue to ignore the changing global climate and hope that it will just go away, or fix itself? We do. Should we keep fighting change, in our medical system, our fiscal structure, our energy policy, because we fear it? We do.
I don’t claim to have the answers. But I am starting to understand this: we need to stop letting crazy rule. The extreme ends of the spectrum keep getting all the attention, and the voice of the middle, the average jo, keeps getting drowned out.
I want to stand up and be counted.
Before it’s too late.
April 29th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Then be counted! Every voice can be heard, there’s room for all of us. Collectively, though, it’s much more effective. Although to be heard often requires a march…
April 29th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
crazy does get all the attention. disrespect gets attention. even the people i may agree with on the telly have been driving me crazy & i too have been turning off the news. there are days i think it’s already too late.
April 29th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Oh, well said! Yes. I struggle with the same news dilemma. Too much and I run from it, too little and I am too clueless about the world around me.
Yesterday, a friend said to me that she feels that all of the events happening now are a message to us. “This is a time to surrender and release. To remember what our priorities truly are.”
So stand on up. I’ll be there with you! Decrazyfying our world is a priority I can get behind.
April 29th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
You are absolutely right: extreme gets all the attention on both sides, and I just can’t believe that that’s what most people want. Let’s make some noise.
April 29th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Hallelujah. You said it perfectly. The crazies rule, I guess, because they make good film. And the balance is hard to strike. I do the same thing as you, listen, don’t listen and support sane people. Love your blog.
April 29th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Me too, Kelly. Sometimes I just want to avoid the world altogether. But then I think all the stupidity, meanness, and wrong-headedness, as well as the kindness, compassion, and generosity of the world needs to be witnessed by those of us who care. I lost my oldest son in the first gulf war, more than 20 years ago now. I wanted to hide and run away. Instead I spoke — a lot — both at that time and when the current wars began. Did it do any good? Not for the world, maybe, but at least I felt I stood up for my beliefs and that kept my integrity alive. For so long I wanted to single-handedly change the world. Now I know that if live my right life, and help when and how I can, it’s enough. One little spark of light can help to pierce the darkness. So keep your beautiful light shining Kelly and all of you who commentd here as well! I truly believe we will prevail!
April 29th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Here..here! It’s so true that ‘crazy’ does get all of the attention. And – like you – I prefer not to listen..altho I know I should. Time for us ordinary folks to stand up and make a little noise too!!
April 29th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
you are not the only one!!
April 29th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
“stop letting crazy rule”……so perfectly said !!
happy weekend !!
April 30th, 2011 at 12:42 am
Amen! And I am with you.
April 30th, 2011 at 2:20 am
Jayne said what I thought
April 30th, 2011 at 5:13 am
You articulate so beautifully everything I feel yet can’t quite find the (non-curse) words to express.I want to do something and as Mister keeps on telling me; there’s power in numbers, there’s success in droves. We just have to begin.
April 30th, 2011 at 11:10 am
Kelly, I dont know where to start. First of, love your post. Your writing is so articulate and it is exactly how I feel about politic, life and events. I just would not be able to say it that well, I think. 🙂 I am always amazed by how much time/attention the media would give to a loud bully. Still I think we are millions who think like you, who are tired of seing all the corporations not caring about poluting and spilling oil.. I think people are very ready to stand up. Life is about balance, and I think we are on our way to find it. Very happy I have discovered your blog.
May 1st, 2011 at 12:44 am
There was a story just now on a friend’s facebook page about a whale that was horribly tangled in crab traps and fishing lines and the divers that cut each string by hand to free her. I cried because we are trashing the earth and so many seem to want to continue. I cried because enough people cared to free her and she thanked them, each one, in turn. I tend to avoid the news more than I listen because my heart can’t take it, but I’m all for standing up and being counted. I’m for intelligent thought and respectful conversation on both sides of the fence. I wonder if we can do it. I hope so. I get claustrophobic under the covers too.
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:50 am
Oh this resonates with me deeply. I have avoided talking about politics on my blog because I don’t wish to load it down with ugliness. Because it’s all gotten so ugly! Those extremes you talk about have polarized us. (Shouldn’t politicians/leaders be bringing us together? Isn’t that their job?)
I feel guilty about avoiding it sometimes too. But I’m no good to anyone if I’m depresses, and surely that’s what would happen if I immersed myself in the rhetoric. Instead I’ve chosen to focus my intentions and efforts where I can feel powerful – where I can see they are doing something – in my own little world and the people in it. I think I can influence the big picture by being the change I’m wanting to see. Every act matters.
Tonight I’m feeling again like crawling under the covers and staying there because my country (Canada) just handed a majority government to an extremist neo-conservative with an openly autocratic style.
But I’ll get out of bed tomorrow too, because I have a different story to tell. As do you. I think that telling our stories – the plethora of stories coming out of blogs and alternative media matter. Our voices are out there. And they’re beautifully authentic.