In The Desert of Uncertainty
January 20th, 2017 the world changed forever and the future is dark.
How does that sentence make you feel? Depending on your interpretation you may feel despair, or maybe even hope. You may judge my belief to mean that I am a kindred spirit who understands your pain or you may judge me as an ignorant pessimist.
Whatever you feel is correct for you in this moment. It is the current lens with which you make sense of the world. Take a pause and consider how that statement made you feel. Honor it.
Now, hit the reset button and consider this…a new president of the United States of America has come into power under unprecedented circumstances (*see rant below). However, the darkness ahead is not necessarily grim and negative, nor is it paved with a golden footpath leading us to the land of milk and honey. At this moment (NOW) it is simply ‘unknown’. Regardless of the analytics and projections of the incessant ‘talking heads’ all we can truly know in this moment is that “Now the world has changed forever and the future is dark (unknown)”.
How does that statement resonate with you now? Does it feel more neutral? (I’m working toward that).
Approximately 3000 years ago, Moses and the Israelites wandered the desert of uncertainty for 40 years before reaching Mount Nebo. The text states that they ‘wandered’ the desert. This implies that it wasn’t a straight line to the Promised Land and there were likely many detours, heartbreaks and setbacks. When the Exodus began, the world for the Israelites changed forever and their future was dark (unknowable). Yet, what they did know is that collectively that they wanted to live in the Promised Land. They maintained a vision of the Promised Land (even though they didn’t always know where they were or how to get there) until it became reality. They took a huge leap of faith and wandered into the uncertainty of the desert in search of personal and spiritual freedom.
Regardless of who you voted for in the U.S. Presidential Election the collective cry was for radical change. We want to be heard and understood. Perhaps we agree that we all want change for the better, it’s our radical difference of opinions that has stirred the pot of ‘indifference’. And maybe that’s a good thing.
I would be willing to be that not every Israelite that followed Moses into the desert actually wanted to go. Maybe, even though they were a slave, they had a benevolent master and a comfortable existence. Oh, sure they would prefer to be free, but the changes they might have to endure were more frightening than the status quo. They chose to be indifferent and not get too involved in the whole uprising thing. And yet, when the time came, they did follow Moses and go with what was right for the collective benefit of their people. Uncertain as they were, and even though they didn’t ‘vote’ to go, they went.
Many of us have been in a bit of a stupor induced by the illusion of certainty and ‘status quo’. The belief that this is the way things have always been and that change is slow to come. Now there has been a tremendous tear in the matrix of what we believed, that we were slowly progressing into a ‘stable and relatively predictable’ future. Along with that upheaval we also see our personal freedoms and sense of decorum and fair process being flipped upside down.
This moment has inspired a global ‘wake-up’ call! The whole world is paying attention to NOW, as this flipping of the status quo is taking place all over the world. Many (me included) are wondering, “How the hell did this happen?” How did we so abruptly find ourselves in this desert of uncertainty? And where is Moses? Who are we to follow?
I am not going to speculate or speak for the masses, but I can take responsibility for myself and tell you how I personally contributed to the circumstances we are experiencing NOW.
Without going into dramatic detail, here is a bullet point list…
- I have never (until the Dakota Pipeline protest) made phone calls or written letters of concern or approval to any of our elected officials.
- I have never been involved with my local government outside of voting (which I do).
- I have always relinquished my power by doubting that I might know or have something positive to contribute to those that are more ‘politically educated’ than me.
- I believed the ‘business of politics’ was mean spirited and I didn’t want to be involved.
- I financially supported Bernie Sanders’ campaign because I believed in the change he stood for. But, I voted for Hillary Clinton in the primary because instead of following my instincts, I listened to the rhetoric (in my circle of influence) that Bernie wouldn’t be able to win the presidency.
- I underestimated how deeply people want things to be different. So much so, that they would swing from supporting and (supposedly) believing in a candidate like Bernie Sanders with an uplifting message of inclusion, fairness, education, clean energy and balanced health care for all, to turn and support an *ego-maniacal, divisive, bigoted, misogynistic, immature sociopath who takes pleasure in inflicting pain and disgrace upon others, blatantly lies and boasts about cheating and outwardly plans to undo many of our civil liberties (*my personal observation and opinion).
- I believed that no sane, loving, rational person could or would vote for a person like that. I was wrong. Many intelligent people I love and admire either voted for the new President or against Hillary Clinton (mostly the latter).
- The desire for change no matter what, was/is far stronger than I thought.
Now, like so many others, I am awake to the culmination of this moment in time. I believe President Barack Obama won the election (twice) because the majority of the people voted FOR him. This time I believe the new President won because so many people voted against the ‘status quo’ embodied by Hillary Clinton. It is a completely different message. To stand FOR something (or someone) feels much more powerful than to stand opposed.
Mother Teresa is quoted to have said, “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”
The question for me, is which direction shall I point my flashlight into the future? If I am responsible for shining my own light into the dark. What do I want to see? How do I want to feel? What do I want to experience? What do I stand for (not against)?
- I want to feel loving compassion for this moment. Release the blame, shame, outrage, and railing against.
- I want to see the chaos from a higher perspective. Release the urge to abate the process of destruction and rebirth.
- I want to embrace the dark (unseen) future with curiosity for positive possibilities. Release the fear of the unknown.
- I want to stand in the integrity of my highest self. Release the self doubt that my voice does not count.
It is time for me to show up and stop pretending that I don’t know enough or have any influence over what happens next for the future of our democratic government.
- I choose kindness.
- I choose to step up and speak out!
- I choose personal integrity.
- I choose Fierce Love.
“There are enough of us who love, who aspire, who believe in the possibilities for America, for the human race and the planet, to become a critical mass. But we’ve got to step it up.” ~ Marianne Williamson
I (We) may feel as if we have suddenly found ourselves lost in the desert, but we are not isolated or alone, we are a tribe and we know the Promised Land of a humanity of higher consciousness exists. It’s time to shine our lights in the direction of unity and illuminate the world, together.
Now the world has changed forever and the future is…?
