Things will never be what they once were, yet haven't these pandemic times been a needed shakedown of colossal proportions? A viral reminder that sameness, routine, even the time of a ticking clock are all human constructs, illusions we have gathered around us, bright individuated cloaks of security; still there is no comfort in the thin shrouds in which we now find ourselves clad, shivering in our newfound quasi-nakedness, and suddenly the formerly faceless man or woman pandering on the street corner seems eerily familiar;
Springtime in New Mexico is a blustery affair, Stellar Jays flying sideways, Black Vultures swept up high, then low on colliding thermals, protection sought in tall Ponderosas, time to gather what acumen they possess in order to move on, survival keeping them close to Mother Nature's bones, and the main difference between those avians and us is that they sense their bit of earth and range within the scheme of it, there is no desire for more, nor longing for what might have been;
Hubris is the sole bane of the human species, and if Covid has served us well, it has been to level the playing field, teach us in a kinesthetic way the folly of self importance, demonstrating under a magnifying glass how alike we are to the man under the cop's knee, unto the fears of the cop himself; shaking us down and down until we can see all others within our own psyches, and it is only then that we glimpse how akin we are to what's outside the bubble of comfort and even how interdependent we are with all of it; a tiny virus has randomly crossed racial barriers, oceans, continents and economic strata to reach into the soul of things and root out our deepest fears, and if we remain strong, grounded and focused, the winds of change sure to blow many off-course cannot penetrate even the sparsest of garments;
And so we wait, cultivating patience where before it may have been lacking; we live, laugh, love and grieve with those we have come to know far better in this pause of shut-down, unmasked in the face of a new intimacy while we breathe in the gift of life, feeling gratitude for all we have been given; then it's back to the Garden, where we get our hands dirty as we mindfully match pace now with nature's rhythms, the inevitable awakening into a season of buds and bright blossoms; and eventually, in harmony now with All That Is, perceived Serpents included, we may finally reap the long-awaited harvest.
Very well said. The learning that is provided by Covid is really very simple.
World consciousness MUST be awakened to exactly what you have described and rather than “go back to normal” MUST change and awaken or human existence is not long on this planet.
Tubularsock has watched this “vaccine” that is not a vaccine be described as the solution to our current problem and by taking it we can get back to our “normal” lives like that is a direction one would even want to go.
TRANSFORMATION from this insanity we as a species have created is the direction we MUST take rather than all going back to pointless jobs and social events!
The future hangs in the balance …….. financial profit is NOT a guiding light!
Cheers.
Absolutely, and well said, yourself. Agreed on the vaccine as well, yikes. Pretty sure if humanity decides to regress, this won’t be the last viral mutation to hit our species. Humans do learn at a glacial pace. ☹️
Hmmm, but the glaciers are melting perhaps at a faster rate than human learning.
Therefore Tubularsock recommends putting twice as many ice cubes in one’s evening drink!
Peace.
Oh, yes. I didn’t want to be too harsh, but as I was writing that, I thought of the same thing! We shall see, TS. We shall see. Peace out, yourself.
Enjoyed your write as you pointed out similarities that so many people are want to overlook in the larger picture of the human race. Wonderful photo and explanation of how it Acequias came to be. Do take good care.
Thanks, Renee. Yes, unfortunately, I always feel as though I’m preaching to the converted. I wish folks in general would wake up, or I am concerned about what Mother Nature has in store for the next phase. She is far smarter than we are, this I know.
Glad you liked the photo. It was taken at a friend’s house, where the water flows through many channels. We are waiting for our two to start gushing water! Someone ‘upline’ from us hasn’t cleaned their acequia out yet, something we are all supposed to do by April 4. And so we wait.
Be well, Renee. <3
People in all eras have faced challenges Bela, we too have seen one and next generation might be facing another one of a different sort. Nature has always won over mankind, whatever the level of their hubris and self-serving goals. Only writers introspect and warn but who cares?
Balroop, thanks for reading and taking time to share your thoughts. I’m not sure which ‘one’ challenge you are referring to, so I won’t assume. What I do know, and science supports, is that, for the first time in human history, our species faces what is known as the Sixth Extinction if we don’t change our ways (and maybe even if we do). Nature will, indeed, prevail. This is Her planet, after all. And the warnings come not only from introspective writers, but from sages down the ages, from the scientific community, and from sacred texts.
You are correct in saying ‘who cares?’ My knowledge is that many do, and my hope remains that more will become informed and make better choices. Native Americans have long counseled that we must live for seven generations’ benefit, and we, collectively, are far from that. The way we have lived our own lives for years has been as much in harmony with that philosophy as we can manage, but I suspect even our simple lifestyle is not enough. It must be, at this time, a sweeping collective effort, and I am not sure we are up for it. But at least many of us are trying.
FMI: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/world/sixth-mass-extinction-accelerating-intl/index.html
https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/elizabeth-kolbert
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/150623-sixth-extinction-kolbert-animals-conservation-science-world
Anyway, again, thanks for taking time to read this post. Blessings, Balroop.
Thank you for sharing those links Bela, much appreciated.
🙏 welcome. 🌺
I hope you are right Bela. Too many of our leaders seem too anxious for the same old same old though. They, too, must somehow be discarded. (K)
Yes, it is a problem. I think the root of this dying tree is the following of leaders at all. Looking to them to solve humanity’s greatest crises. Yet it’s complex, as you know. That linear patriarchal structure has been in place for thousands of years. How now to cast it off? Where do we begin? HAVE we begun? And if the barge to Avalon is back in operation? I will gladly hop onboard 😉 (Reference Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “The Mists of Avalon.”) sigh.
They are not going to leave peacefully. But people are starting to say enough…I hope it’s the beginning of something better.
Me too! 🌏
Hi Bela, how are you? i know it’s been long. Hope this finds you and family well 🙂
Well written as always, Bela. Covid has taught us to value life and nature even more. Such a painful wake up call. Thanks for writing this brilliant post.
Aww, Mahesh! Thanks for your kind words. So delightful hearing from you! Long time, indeed. How are you doing, my friend?
It certainly has been strange times and strange tales. And here we are once again, up on a mountain in the middle of nowhere, just when we had begun to really value our little Hawaii community. I guess now we begin again! Perhaps we were wandering mystics in a previous life. And in this life, we are just meant to share who we are and how we live. Help others when we can. No matter where. We both have ridiculous practical skill sets at this point. And so we begin to gather, once again, in this old Spanish community.
Anyhow, enough about me. 😂 Take good care! I hope all is well with you and yours. I haven’t seen a post from you in a while, so I’m going to have to see if I can discover what’s going on with you. I’ve been somewhat inconsistent on WordPress since we moved here almost a year ago.
🙏🌏💕
Lovely to get your response, my friend. And sorry you had to leave Hawaii. But I know that wherever you go you’ll make the place your own, plus your positive vibes and energy will inspire others in the community. Will write to you soon. Take care, and much love.
Love back! ❤️
And btw, leaving HI was our choice 💯. It was sad to leave the people, but I am happy to be in the nice high desert on a big ranch in the middle of a forest. Breatheee …. yes! 😌