Re-Direction

This past year or so, the political/social climate has been very challenging for me, as I think it has for a lot of people. There's a sense of helplessness and anger, and it feels like your only resource is expressing your opinion and hoping enough people agree to make change happen. But I know how often expressing these opinions does nothing more than create a huge divide. I know that a lot of forums become a place where either everyone agrees with you and you're not challenged at all...or a lot of people nastily disagree with you (and sometimes just plain misunderstand you). And at the end of it, usually no change has occurred - either at a human or a bigger political level. I've been on all sides of the spectrum myself, though I have tried to be as respectful as I could (albeit not always very successfully).

Today, especially, I wanted to write yet another blog post about a particular issue that's been bothering me. But the thing is, I've written a lot about these things. And sometimes, yeah, it's good to discuss and express opinions. It's good at times to have disagreements and stretch your brain and your heart a bit. Those things are valuable. But at the same time, I can start to sound like a broken record. And honestly, sometimes people don't need to hear what I'm thinking (I'm aware of the incredible irony of stating this in a blog post, where I am expressing my opinion for people to hear. Haha, oh well).

So instead of writing about a specific social issue, I decided it might be better to re-direct my energy. You see, the ideas I have are motivated from a place of compassion and love: I want people to be happy, and I wish there was a way to alleviate suffering. But like I said, talking doesn't always amount to much. And there is the harsh reality that suffering will always be present, no matter how hard we fight (though we must keep fighting). Anyways, I thought, "Why not take my frustration and direct it towards creating something?"

I'm not someone who can spend hours at the easel. It takes a lot to keep me focused on something as "un-productive" as artwork, which is why I find it to be a necessary challenge - but one that I oftentimes avoid. I didn't last more than about an hour with my paintbrush, but I liked where I was at mentally and emotionally. So I spent the remainder of this afternoon doing two things: snuggling with my roommates' new kittens, and watching a few Netflix documentaries. One was about a famous architect; the other, a photographer; and the last, a chef.

I realized that the folks highlighted in these shows are doing nothing more than living life. They're taking what they love, and they're using it. And somehow, without stating a single political or moral message, they impact what happens to people. Somehow, you know? It's kinda difficult to verbalize.

For instance, the architect creates incredible living spaces that are economical, unique, and beautiful - places where people can carve out a home instead of just a house. The photographer takes pictures of deep-sea creatures, and helps the viewer connect with something much larger than himself (while inadvertently making us aware of the need to preserve these creatures' habitats). The chef uses local ingredients for all his meals, thereby supporting local agriculture and at the same time inspiring us with his dishes.

I had a friend recently tell me that I was not doing enough to stop the evil in the world: I wasn't going to enough protests, I wasn't speaking out against corruption in our country. She didn't stop to think about the fact that it was me she was talking to, someone who had spent hours helping her sort through serious challenges, someone who had enjoyed concerts and dancing with her. And the thing is, I wasn't blind to what's happening in the world, and neither was I indifferent. I just couldn't see how doing things her way was going to help - or be the best avenue for me to pursue. But that made no difference to her, and she wrote me off as being complicit with Hitler. It hurt a lot.

My primary objective in life is to be alive, to enjoy discovering, learning, creating, and interacting with people and the world. I want to love, I want to help. So I guess all of this is me trying to say, sometimes you don't need to use words, or specific political action. Sometimes maybe it's better to try something different: connect with the things that bring you joy, while at the same time being aware of all the other living beings in the world. Help when you see that you can (and sometimes that may involve political activism, which is good). And I dunno, just go out and be alive.