The 20th Anniversary of 9/11

Lots of conflicting stuff going on for people and lots of conflicting data. The 20^th anniversary of 9/11 looms large and may even pass by the publishing of this blog. Delta variant continues to wreak havoc on that solitary, singular last nerve we all seem to be protecting, watering, nursing, and nurturing. Praying it doesn’t shrivel up and die. Maybe I can help? I’m also constantly checking myself and following the age-old advice of “physician heal thyself”. Life happens at the micro-level. We cannot begin to manage the world at large. So, here are some of my thoughts.

Feel free to complain as much as you wish to your trusted friends and family members in the privacy of your confidential space. Allow your full expression of self. If swearing is in your repertoire, indulge in creative exploration and conjugation of expletives. Discover new adverbs, nouns, and verbs. I’ve been told by my multi-lingual friends the English language is uniquely suited for swearing. Having thus satisfied your fill now comes the serious work. The issues that are causing distress are not actually because of our neighbors’/friends’/relatives’ belief systems. 

During our period of quarantine, we’ve become a bit intolerant of one another. At times we cannot even acknowledge that thoughtful human beings come to different conclusions for reasons we may not understand. While we may not want to share an intimate relationship with someone of differing views, we can certainly share a cup of coffee. Our thinking has become binary. Constructs of ideas are zero-sum. We are losing our collective creativity. The good news is that this can change on a dime, in a second. The problem may be right over here, not over there and that’s a much easier fix. A little attitude adjustment. Really as simple as expanding our own thinking. And you’re probably saying, perhaps somewhat sarcastically, “oh, is that all?”  

Actually, yes.

That’s all. 

For one thing, we have all been living in a constant fear state. You don’t need a psychiatrist to tell you that constant fight, flight or freeze or an attenuated version of this, cannot possibly be good for any part of our bodies. We can combat this state with information and data. As much information as we can obtain from differing sources. The key is not our same ‘ole, same ‘ole. We need to actively seek out sources that offer solutions different than the ones we’ve been pursuing. Want a different outcome, seek a different source. Particularly something that’s not seeking to divide or make others wrong.

I opened this blog by stating there’s a lot of conflicting data. Now I’m going to recommend reading the conflicting data. Information is not going to hurt us. By the way, I’m not right (nor am I wrong). I’m another source of information. We keep what’s helpful and discard what’s not. We need to relearn autonomous thinking. You’re reading this blog and that necessarily implies you are a curious and inquisitive individual. Look for answers that make sense and provide independent solutions. This empowers you and starts to engage your brain in a different circuit that hasn’t been previously activated. 

There are some very powerful yet simple messages here. Little shifts on a micro-level beget macro changes. It can begin as simply as not assuming malevolent motivation in others.  And then someone might grant us that very same grace. It’s easy to see how that starts a positive cycle. We are desperately lacking kindness and civil discourse. Just bringing this back on a local level will extend it more broadly. I love simplicity. For example, we need to be nice to each other on the message boards in our community. Let’s not send those angry responses. Incidentally, almost all of us have done it, so let’s be attentive, forgive ourselves and move on. 

Going forwards, consider someone on the other end may be struggling with Covid Deprivation Syndrome and locked in their apartment. It’s possible they’ve lost someone dear or they’re lonely. Maybe they’re just being fed a constant diet of negative, fear-mongering information. Maybe none of this is true, but it’s a better belief system than a person is doing something with maleficence of heart. We don’t know what’s happening in someone else’s life. Next time you read something, hear something, think something that makes you blame somebody for a world problem, stop and pause and see what else you might find instead. You may be left at the same place, but perhaps you’ve added some compassion, kindness, and something else that leaves this new moment at a slightly different place.