Imagine…

Photo by Steve Johnson: Pexels

I feel rather demoralized when I turn on the news and watch the systematic decline of the nation’s progress towards equality, inclusion and respect for human decency unfolding in front of my eyes.

It’s been an ugly time that I’ve been at odds with and fought fiercely against in my mind. And, just when I thought that perhaps, just perhaps some progress was being made towards a healthier future for us all, the rug was yanked out from underneath me. I didn’t see it coming. I’ve lost my balance. I’ve felt genuinely lost too.

I keep wondering how we’ve come to be in this place at this point in time having not learned from past historical mistakes that we appear to be repeating.

Maybe it’s a fear of change, of lost position, power and privilege for some and a fear of scarcity this change could bring that fuels a drive to hold on to a past way of life and thinking that is old, self serving and out dated.

This is a sad reality to me. Beneath my outrage a deep sadness flows. I’d thought better of us as a nation.

It is our need for love and the connections we make with others that allows us to best cope with the vulnerability our very human experience brings for each one of us. We really don’t do so well when we try to go it alone in life whether as an individual or as a nation. People can end up bullying others to pump up their very fragile shame filled ego. We see this being played out on our national stage.

Fortunately as the year winds to an end people are speaking out against the bullies and abuse of power. The “Me Too” movement is evidence of that. And true leaders in this country are speaking out for climate change action by promising to honor the Paris accord regardless of the short sighted “me only” attitudes of our elected officials. We can find a collective voice and bring the possibility of a future that moves us all forward not backwards.

I grew up with the lyrics of Beatle, John Lennon’s song “Imagine” in my mind and obviously in my heart too. It must have influenced me more that I realize.

“…imagine all the people living for today, imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do, nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too, imagine all the people living life in peace…no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man, imagine all the people sharing all the world…you may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…”

As Mr. Lennon wrote I too…”hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one!” Just imagine what a wonderful world it would be!

Just what do you “imagine” for the world in 2018 and beyond?