… the World Can Wait.

I was trying to think of what to write today. Then it came to me… remembering perusing social media the last two weeks and what it felt like, not only in America, but that the entire world was holding its breath, first in Brazil, then in France, in Serbia, in Israel and Paraguay. All humans looking for a solution. A way out, a way to live in love and in safety.

I’ve been alive long enough to know that we have had very important elections and milestones in this country. I have never sat there thinking, oh, I’m patriotic, I’m a patriot, I’m so proud to be an American. It just was. I just went about my life, living through my own hardships. And I am aware that I am not in touch with the hardships of fellow humans in other parts of the world. But I am reading about them, and sometimes, writing about them.

I have wanted to be a writer and journalist since I was 12. But last week I came to realize, sure I like informing people and I love writing, but as I attached myself to my devices, I realized, I’m a totally anxious wonk. I’m not making policies, I hardly know the minutia of what happens with local, state and national governments, but I do know how I want to live and what I want  for other people, so we can all thrive.

As prices get higher and higher, and the people who work for my company, my clients, friends and family members continue to be impacted, I know for sure, we cannot continue on the path we are on. We need lower prices in our country or we will see some devastatingly real consequences. 

I stayed up late (too late) last Tuesday, texting with my best wonky girlfriend, with eyes wide open, until only one eye was open. Then I went to bed. 

Sometimes you have to close your eyes, shut your brain off, and note: this too shall pass. The sadness, and the excitement. We must find evenness, equanimity. 

You will, god willing, wake up tomorrow, walk out your front door, see other humans, and not know a thing about their everyday life, and you will go on. And they will do that too. Even if we have a devastating health diagnosis, a family member who is about to have a baby, an upcoming wedding or other momentous occasion or incident, life will go on.

People will not know what we are going through, unless we do the impossible, stop and ask every human we come across, “hi, what’s up?”. 

Then we will rush off, in our not-knowing. And we may dig our heels in and not listen. Because, we have to sleep… hopefully with two eyes closed, in peace.