There are three stories of our time, that we can tell ourselves:
- Everything will be OK – just trust our leaders.
- We’re doomed – our world is unraveling.
- With The Great Turning we can create a more thriving and just world.
All three are true, and are happening simultaneously. We must choose where we will put our hearts, resources, and how we will live our lives.
It is a time of radical uncertainty, because we don’t know which Story will persevere and become our future. Yet, there are five blessings – The Gifts of Uncertainty – embedded within the darkness of this age.
- We are free to experience and respond to the immediacy and truth of the PRESENT MOMENT rather than our fears or hopes.
- We have the POWER OF INTENTION and can choose what we will do.
- We can courageously BEFRIEND OUR PAIN in this moment, and feel the depth of our compassion, humanity and caring for our world.
- We can recognize SOLIDARITY WITH ALL OUR RELATIONS and understand that we are all connected, in a systemic web of living.
- We can live into the IMMENSITY OF TIME and know that our actions have impacts for many, many generations.
Our Ancestors and Future Beings, all of our great, great grandchildren, are calling upon us to not get caught up in the fear or uncertainty – but to act with intention and love, wisdom and courage and hold unto our vision of a more beautiful world.
Whether through voting, writing letters to the editor, calling our representatives, speaking with our beloveds, being out in the streets – or whatever calls to you – we each have something we can do. This uncertainty is our moment.
With gratefulness for Joanna Macy’s wisdom,
Lynne Iser