I remember back in the day when I would see Leo Buscaglia on television, it seemed all of the time. I have always remembered the story he told about his father asking him, "What did you learn today?"
I woke up this early this morning. My body forgot it was on vacation. I listened to The History Guys podcast on Walt Whitman’s attention to wounded soldiers in Civil War Hospitals.
It was about love, tending and connections. Things I have not felt of late emanating from the public discourse.
I putter though the idiocy of the budget crisis and I just want to disconnect from everything.
Almost. And then I got to thinking. Leo's father's question came up again.
"What did you learn today?"
It is that love thing. We have been fed such as nasty diet of bile and political ickyness that we have no national capacity to love anything or anyone not in our direct tribe or vested interest.
We will sink the nation because there can be no accommodation to consider the greater good. For all of us, not just corporate or power interests. Not just for the poor folk. Not just for foreign national's interests.
So. How do we reclaim our love for our country? How do we non-hate based carbon units not just take it back but embrace and nurture what we believe to be our better self?
There has to be some kind of reconciliation. We are no where need that concept. Not now. I haven't any answers. I just know that I am not built for disengagement unless there is absolutely no hope of change.
There has to be a better way.
Gena,
ReplyDeleteThank you this is beautiful! I can relate, at times I want to simply go away and become a hermit out in the woods...let the rest of the world take care of itself. But I'm like you, I still have Hope. Maybe if ordinary people like you and I can somehow break through the selfish nastiness that exists in most forms of media, just maybe some people will begin to realize they are being conditioned into apathy.
Keep up the good work and enjoy your vacation!
Jenny
It is going to take some effort, no doubt. I can hear folk sniffing "love & politics as a tool for change?" Bah!
ReplyDeleteThey might be right. Probably are. Far right. Extremists if you get my drift.
Before I can change the world I need to fix the typos in my post. I am consistently imperfect and proud. Just not a great proofer. :-}