I don’t really care that this is a misquote of Ghandi. When you read the actual quote in the link, I feel this holds true to the gist of what he did say.
If he didn’t say it, we could remove Ghandi’s name from the meme, and it is still a beautiful idea.
Yet it is so hard to live it. In the news I read about more and more black folks being killed by those who are supposed to serve and protect for things like having their car break down or waiting for their son in their car while reading.
These are the ones most recently to have hit the news. There are way too many more to post here, and too many more that don’t make it to mainstream media at all.
Then there’s Trump spewing hate in just about every form one can imagine. I’m trying not to read the articles about how he hates immigrants. All of them, apparently. I can only imagine he hates the countries they come from as well, which would be well over 75% of the planet. He also hates women, gay folks, oh but he loves the blacks! He’s a liar, pants on fire, time and time again… He’s seemingly ambivalent about education, the great equalizer for poor folks and minorities. He has sexually harassed women, and thinks that those harassed in the workplace should go find another job. You know, instead of the harasser finding one.
*sigh*
Riots are going on in India. A bunch of radioactive waste fell through a sinkhole into the aquifer near where I am. And St. Petersburg, FL has been dumping millions of gallons of partially treated sewage into Tampa Bay since Hurricane Hermine came through.
I feel like I need a shower after writing all of that.
How do we keep our heads up, us dreamers? I do want to join the vision John Lennon presents in “Imagine,” but someone shot John.
And we’ve never given peace a chance. Not really. Not ever.
I’ve actually thought of buying a shotgun. In case Trump gets elected. In case he starts a national registry, and I need to keep my friends and neighbors secret and safe from the gas chambers and firing squads. Yes, this thought has actually crossed my mind.
I guess I’m of the mind to give peace a chance, but I’ll keep the gun on me until I’m sure…
I’m trying to be the change. I practice meditation, and I am teaching it to my students. I try to be open-hearted and honest. I try to live my life through the lens of empathy. I try so hard to keep an open mind, and to change my views when I gain enough evidence for the situation to warrant it. I’m living my dream by teaching, writing, creating…
Yet I still see so much darkness in society around me. And I wonder if we can and will come together to fix it. Or if we’ll nuke ourselves or starve ourselves via climate change.
It’s all so big. My being seems so small. And looking around, it often doesn’t seem like it makes a difference.
*sigh*