Thank you for modeling hope in the human ability to evolve (in a positive way) past capitalism and consumerism. I am in the midst of Social Welfare and Development 101, so I am in grieving mode, most of the time. I mean, it's not NEW to me ... I DID live with someone who is a trained Climate expert for 17 years, and I ran low-income programs for our city ... but, it is hard to be slapped in the face with our strange place and time in humanity and NOT despair. And then, I connect with you and others like you. Most of them, are younger. Young people working hard and not being able to afford the ownership of land, or even to rent a place that isn't a poorly maintained disappointment. Disillusioned, they are coming together in places like Nature's Harmony, and Horse Sense North - these young people, growing together collectively BECAUSE THEY HAD TO. But you know what? It was, and IS the way we were meant to live. Inter-dependent, from a place of love and safety, working together to our strengths, towards a common goal. I LOVE IT! They look at life so differently, they don't value the things others have bought into as being important, and are largely mis-judged by our generation and our parents' generation. These kids will never have the opportunities for stability they had ... unless they band TOGETHER. And you know what? They are HAPPIER, for it! THEY, are coming back to nature, treating the land with respect, and teaching others the old ways. They are MAGIC! Balm to the soul! On some level, I just want to be a hippie, and find a place on a cool team, with holistic education including animals. And I SO badly want to believe unquestionably in God, and trust ... because, if NOTHING else, it would feel SO much better, than NOT. And so, today, for the first time in my heavily-entrenched-and-invested-in-atheism family, I defended my intelligence and sanity, and the potential for belief in a 'Godlike being'. No, not the old man with puppet-string-like ability to control all our lives, I conceded ... but in SOMETHING else. In energy, and auras, and other measurable things, yes. I hope, some day, for more. And on those days, the Universe delivers me you, and your well-earned Capital 'B' Belief. Being in the presence of a believer, just feels good. I LOVE you Nona B!
Wow. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Paige. I guess it’s no coincidence that the blue zones (where there are more centenarians) are areas where they live in communities cook, and eat together. What you said about living close to nature, treating the land with respect and living with the wisdom from the teachers and teachings that have come before us really resonates.
This acknowledgement that we are inter-beings and connected via a source greater than us seems like something we will all eventually come to see, unfortunately most of us come to realization through personal suffering, but I believe there’s a tipping point where this thinking will become second nature in the way that it seems that money is the bottom line is second nature today. Sometimes, as the saying goes, things are darkest just before the dawn.
I have so much compassion for the plight and and the daily hardships that others face and I appreciate the work you and your friends are doing in the world. It seems like we’re living through a time period in history where we are facing all of our collective creations, (the economy) especially the ones born in fear.
Having said that, I’m filled with hope for the future. The good news is that people are waking up and having their own realizations and change is happening individually and collectively. I have had so many positive responses to this particular Substack, and so many readers have emailed me and stepped up with ideas and ways that they will serve. Just as you said like the younger generations already have, it’s time for us to step up together.
Someone asked if I could post the story from last week’s Q&R...here it is:
This classic Cherokee parable about two wolves:
An elder Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Thank you for modeling hope in the human ability to evolve (in a positive way) past capitalism and consumerism. I am in the midst of Social Welfare and Development 101, so I am in grieving mode, most of the time. I mean, it's not NEW to me ... I DID live with someone who is a trained Climate expert for 17 years, and I ran low-income programs for our city ... but, it is hard to be slapped in the face with our strange place and time in humanity and NOT despair. And then, I connect with you and others like you. Most of them, are younger. Young people working hard and not being able to afford the ownership of land, or even to rent a place that isn't a poorly maintained disappointment. Disillusioned, they are coming together in places like Nature's Harmony, and Horse Sense North - these young people, growing together collectively BECAUSE THEY HAD TO. But you know what? It was, and IS the way we were meant to live. Inter-dependent, from a place of love and safety, working together to our strengths, towards a common goal. I LOVE IT! They look at life so differently, they don't value the things others have bought into as being important, and are largely mis-judged by our generation and our parents' generation. These kids will never have the opportunities for stability they had ... unless they band TOGETHER. And you know what? They are HAPPIER, for it! THEY, are coming back to nature, treating the land with respect, and teaching others the old ways. They are MAGIC! Balm to the soul! On some level, I just want to be a hippie, and find a place on a cool team, with holistic education including animals. And I SO badly want to believe unquestionably in God, and trust ... because, if NOTHING else, it would feel SO much better, than NOT. And so, today, for the first time in my heavily-entrenched-and-invested-in-atheism family, I defended my intelligence and sanity, and the potential for belief in a 'Godlike being'. No, not the old man with puppet-string-like ability to control all our lives, I conceded ... but in SOMETHING else. In energy, and auras, and other measurable things, yes. I hope, some day, for more. And on those days, the Universe delivers me you, and your well-earned Capital 'B' Belief. Being in the presence of a believer, just feels good. I LOVE you Nona B!
Wow. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Paige. I guess it’s no coincidence that the blue zones (where there are more centenarians) are areas where they live in communities cook, and eat together. What you said about living close to nature, treating the land with respect and living with the wisdom from the teachers and teachings that have come before us really resonates.
This acknowledgement that we are inter-beings and connected via a source greater than us seems like something we will all eventually come to see, unfortunately most of us come to realization through personal suffering, but I believe there’s a tipping point where this thinking will become second nature in the way that it seems that money is the bottom line is second nature today. Sometimes, as the saying goes, things are darkest just before the dawn.
I have so much compassion for the plight and and the daily hardships that others face and I appreciate the work you and your friends are doing in the world. It seems like we’re living through a time period in history where we are facing all of our collective creations, (the economy) especially the ones born in fear.
Having said that, I’m filled with hope for the future. The good news is that people are waking up and having their own realizations and change is happening individually and collectively. I have had so many positive responses to this particular Substack, and so many readers have emailed me and stepped up with ideas and ways that they will serve. Just as you said like the younger generations already have, it’s time for us to step up together.
Love to you and happy birthday!!
Someone asked if I could post the story from last week’s Q&R...here it is:
This classic Cherokee parable about two wolves:
An elder Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Another amazing post, Nona. Choose love, let go of fear/ego....align with your true knowing/essence, be kind, love more. Love YOU!