Rumi or someone says ‘depression is living in the past, anxiety is living in the future’ and ‘peace’ was living in the now, I think. The whole quote is paraphrased from memory, forgive. Long ago, there was this thing called ‘anxiety’ and it usually grouped together people who worried too much or thought too much. People who seemed uncomfortable going with the flow of random activity, people who were…high strung or tightly wound.
These days for many people, the phrase ‘if you’re not angry you’re not paying attention’ is more like ‘if you’re not anxious as all get out, you don’t understand what’s going on.’ A vast variety of pills and other medicines are available for consumption to help people manage or drain anxiety, though there is a lot to be said for humanity not addressing the core problem that gave birth to anxiety to begin with.
Humanity isn’t healthy and hasn’t been for longer than most people can remember; we chose to isolate ourselves from the things we didn’t understand and now many of those things are full of rage and seeking blood. Racism and sexism running rampant, media-famous republicans are blatantly outspoken about their narrow views and distaste for the democratic peoples.
Back in the day of Leonardo DaVinci, people needed to share their perception wrapped in symbolism—these times seem to echo that sentiment. Steven Universe and other cartoons share stories that seem light hearted yet the underlying truth is of aliens who sought to take over the Earth, drain it of it’s resources to feed their own goals. “We’re not creating life from nothing, we’re taking life and leaving nothing behind” the starry-eyed, pink-haired rebel says.
The two party system of Usland democracy is crumbling before our eyes, conservative citizens are being manipulated like pawns in a game most hard-working Americans don’t even understand. Media watchdog groups have been monitoring conservative news and voicing to those who will listen, the truth that news designed for conservative citizens is stripped of all information they don’t already accept. Who is listening to this wisdom? Surely not those screaming about fake news and ‘demonrats.’ Who has time to study policies and talk about politicians when the average household income is barely enough to survive on?
The percentage of people in debt is the highest in history and the pressure from media screaming at us daily about the collapse of the economy or the latest political scandal. Perhaps if we keep our heads down, take our pills, do our jobs well enough to get a steady paycheck ‘reality’ will take care of itself?
A sentient planet capable of so much life and patience, yet how many people see this strange place as a huge magic rock or the gift from some god? Humanity hasn’t celebrated Earth as a global culture, not since the days of…were there any such days? Certainly, most history we are taught as children focused on industry and harvesting resources—nothing said for how to live in harmony, nothing said for appreciation. As a species we take what we want and often care not for why it’s available—and why should we? This planet is the enchanted gift from a nameless god as a testing ground to prove our worthiness to live in his kingdom, far from this place.
We have treated these lands with such a lack of respect and love, our misdeeds ‘echo through the halls of eternity’ and certainly many of us feel as if judgment is upon us. I choose wealth and abundance and believe in a sweet surprise ending to this story.
