can we talk about this?

Let’s talk about what it means to be alive in this world right now.

I’m not getting into politics here and I promise I’ll rant for a little and then bring this home for you. But I think we all really need to take a step back and remember the reality of our lives on this planet.

We are literally just sacks of stardust on a rock that’s hurtling through space and time. We have completely made up these structures and systems and cultures and religions that so deeply “define” us. And there are certain types of stardust that decide they are a “better” type of stardust and they use that to manipulate and control and dull other stardust people.

When you strip away all the fancy words, it’s fucking delusional.

I’m so enraged by the lack of humanity that is becoming mainstream. There’s a viral image of Jane Fonda going around that about sums it up for me.

In it, she is saying, "Empathy is not weak or 'woke.' 'Woke' just means you give a damn about other people."

When did we stop caring about other people? When did we stop giving a damn about nature, about wildlife, about places that have been here thousands and millions of years longer than us? When did we stop remembering that we are literally interconnected with everything on this planet—past, present, and future? When did it become “cool” to only look out for yourself and a select other few? When did just being a decent person become a political term?

Why is it okay that we just uproot and unearth people and places?

Why is it okay to think that there’s a “superior” group?

There’s not. When we all go back into the ground—that we came from—we all look the same.

And look, I realize that this has been happening since human society existed. Colonists have been uprooting Indigenous communities for thousands of years. It’s deeply rooted in our past. But as we evolve aren’t we supposed to, you know, learn from history and grow? Be better humans?

In the spirit of turning to resources, I extend this gorgeous podcast episode to you.

In it, the host Dan Harris interviews Sister Dang Nghiem (“Sister D”). Sister D is a certified MD and ordained Buddhist teacher. Her insights into addiction and perpetual sickness of humanity had me experiencing too many “aha” moments to count (or try to summarize here).

She’s not preaching Buddhism, in case you’re instantly turned off by that word. Instead, she’s sharing insights on how to be more mindful of our interconnectedness and more aware of interbeing—the concept that all things are connected and interdependent.

Like a yin and yang symbol, there are dual forces always at play. In the dark, there is light. In the light, there is dark. This duality exists in all things.

In anger, there is a deep sadness or feeling of betrayal.

In evil, there is a hurt or suffering that was never seen.

Interbeing helps us have a more open view to ourselves and to others.

To realize that nothing is one-dimensional.

We are, because our parents are, because our society is, because our ancestors were, because our history was…

…and so on.

Unless we break this cycle of unconscious pattern-following, we will continue to act in the ways that we have in the past.

If you’re reading this post, we are likely aligned and I know I’m preaching to the choir.

But I still think we need to talk about it.

Because I’m angry and I don’t know how else to put action behind it besides empowering others to shift their thoughts and actions. We all influence each other. Maybe this post is my one drop in the ocean that will create a wave of change somewhere else.

And speaking of resources, I wrote an entire post almost a year ago on interconnectedness. In it, I said:

“We are all reflections of each other. We are reflections of our environments. Our desires. Our communities.”

Reflect more of what you want to see in the world. It’s the only way We (with a capital W) can change.

With light and kindness,

Court.