BE IT RESOLVED
an argument for making our worlds a little smaller and our nervous systems a little less nervous
WHEREAS
The news is horrific and filled with overwhelming terrors on a near minute-to-minute basis, and,
Whereas the world of social media platforms has become altogether engulfing, addictive, and destructive, and,
Whereas the nervous system is not evolved to handle such a high influx of stress, trauma, and information on a daily/hourly basis, and,
Whereas the cardinals start singing about 30 minutes before dawn, and,
Whereas the creaking of the house and the percussion of falling acorns and the snuffling of rabbits and the scurrying of squirrels are their own musical soundtrack, and,
Whereas the neighbor’s dogs poke their snouts through the holes in the fence when their person comes home, and,
Whereas we live in a world where fresh basil and rosemary exist, and,
Whereas, instead of getting between 11 and 187 likes on any given post, we can get personal responses from 6 close friends at any time of the day/night across 4 time zones, and,
Whereas oranges just happen to be delicious, nutritious, and beautiful, and,
Whereas public libraries are full of imagination and information, and are staffed by people who enliven the spirits of wonder and knowledge, and are warm/cool shelters with water fountains and clean bathrooms and soft chairs no matter the weather, and,
Whereas falling asleep is much easier when our news is limited to intentional times of the day, rather than being relentlessly consumed, and,
Whereas meditation draws us simultaneously closer to the heart of the universe and closer to ourselves, and,
Whereas we are invited by the Great Spirit to participate in the cultivation of good and just and right thoughts and actions, and,
Whereas communal worship has the ability to buoy up the weary, to settle the spiraling mind, to humble the proud, and to move the inert to action, and,
Whereas the nervous system responds favorably to singing and giggling, and,
Whereas our inner voices tend to know more than we’ve been led to believe, and,
Whereas calling a friend in the recesses of depression is a life-saving act, and,
Whereas healing the world cannot occur without also healing the inner self,
BE IT RESOLVED THAT
Commenting online does not fix anything. We choose intentional activism instead.
Arguing with bots (or classmates from 40 years ago) is energy wasted. We choose vulnerable, personal conversation instead.
Working passionately and resting well are not mutually exclusive. We choose to keep watch for each other, so that all may rest and work in balance.
Trees hold more wisdom than artificial intelligence. We choose to put down our devices and feel sun and rain and wind (this can be done without any type of camping, do not fret).
There is more than one way to mend what’s broken. We choose cooperation rather than infighting.
Empathy is not the enemy of power, but is in fact the key ingredient to it. We choose hearts both more prone to breakage and more readily mended.
We cannot care about everything equally and deeply (and still be functioning persons). We choose to unite our individual and collective passions, talents, energies, and resources, so that no one carries too much weight on their own.
Hey, thanks for taking time to read my words! I’ll be here as often as my brain and body allow.