And then…

Collage by Tu-2

Skies are showing the June gloom that comes around every year. The temperature is 60 degrees fahrenheit. Today is Saturday.

Things are turning, as we all knew would happen. The story of our lives is evolving - and certain realities are emerging. In the midst of it all, much confusion and fear about the unknown. We hold on to misery because we know it. What would happen if we let go and allowed ourselves to be open to the unknown. It is unknowable, yet available to us all. Why don't we let go and see what happens?

In small ways, the practice can be achieved as a way to train yourself. Let go of the bias you hold against people you don't know. Let go of the anxiety about how others see you - physically, emotionally, intellectually, Let go of the distrust of certain religious and spiritual ways. Let go of insecurities about how you will live. Just live. And then - allow yourself to see what will happen.

And then - maybe you will have a breakthrough of some kind in which your ambitions and desires are sidelined and your true calling to live a life of purpose will emerge. A friend once said, "A life without purpose is junk!"

Most of us have a lot of junk. We find it hard to unload it all because of stories we tell ourselves about things like "loyalty" and "responsibility" and "obligation" - wow. These all create tensions when it's time to act and scary conditions arise. They are words that create more internal conflict, especially when you know the answer as to what is calling and you don't act in alignment with your true values --in support of caring, compassion, and kindness. These are unpopular words in today's world – at least it seems so for those who hold the power to affect things that will determine global life or death.

And then, there are the "outliers.". People who, despite hearing what is called "sensible" in times of distress, act to embrace the unknown that is known. They are the ones that float on the oceans to try and bring food to hungry people. They are the ones who decide that the inconvenience of setting aside personal needs, and act in order to get to communal needs met - engage in healing conversations, delivering medicine to house-bound folk, cleaning the public bathroom stall that someone else left dirty with TP on the floor. Small stuff, really.

And then, there are the ones who are lost and cannot figure out what direction to take. If their karma is aligned with the consciousness of the universe - they find the people and places where the practice of letting go leads them to a deeply satisfying path in life. It is startling for some to realize how deeply connected we are to one another and all things on this earth. All you can do is keep going – finally, you realize, it is always, "and then..."