My Heartsongs

This weekend we observe three important events: Father’s Day, Summer Solstice and World Refugee Day. Each calls upon us in different ways to embody love, and our own authenticity. Compassionate action invites us to give generously to Fathers New Mexico (https://www.fathersnewmexico.org/), find meaningful ways to honor and protect our planetary home, and reach out to refugees everywhere including those in our own neighborhoods.

White privilege might be defined as unseen, unconscious advantages, including being able to move through life without being racially profiled or unfairly stereotyped; it continues to exist because of historic, enduring racism and biases. Acknowledging it is an important first step. Current headlines just make me feel sad about how progress on issues of social justice and equality always seems a stuttering slow molasses pace. 

The Public health model of harm reduction acknowledges people where they are, while inviting them along a continuum of decreasing risky behaviors. We can use its concepts as we begin to open up our society.The safest option for some individuals may be to mostly stay at home until we have a vaccine. But that is no longer a practical approach for our communal wellbeing. Businesses and schools need to keep opening and stay open in the fall!

A Census Bureau household survey this week revealed that a third of Americans self-report signs of clinical CoVid 19 related anxiety or depression, Grief, uncertainty and stress comprise the damaging triad of these trying times for many. Isolation, trouble sleeping and shorter emotional fuses are commonplace. Co-counseling & regular support groups can help. National Suicide Prevention hotline 800-273 TALK or the crisis text line offer 24/7 support by texting 741741.

 

 

This is clearly a time to expand our moral imagination, wherein our concern moves beyond nationalism to protecting the worldwide most vulnerable. With a decent anti-viral medicine & improved ability to contact trace, we will face the fall wave with greater confidence and less fear, and do what we can to protect those most at risk, without destroying livelihoods and entire economies.

Our children need physical play and contact with other children. And they especially need adults to fight against corporate lobbying efforts to prevent science based research that affects aspects of their well-being—whether that be related to drugs and alcohol, firearms, wireless networks or vaccines.

Our economy seems to be rooted in a DEAD worldview: dominate, exploit, acquire and destroy. I am not pointing fingers here, as I unfortunately support and contribute to it in my own ways. Can we embrace a more circular prudence & heed the CoVid19 wake-up call to move beyond “business as usual?”

Waking life now seems to have its own dream like attributes, complete with time distortions and odd sensations. When to say it is okay to die? I’ve had a number of close relatives mutter those 4 empowering words: “I’m ready to go”—meaning they were at peace and ready to die anytime. What might I do if I were in my late 80s or 90s in these times? I like to think I’d be willing to just accept that if I got infected, I’d spare the health care system the burden of my care, save the vent for someone else, and let me go at home in a peaceful setting.

“Give me liberty or give me COVID-19” reads a sign at a recent weekend protest. Companies like 23andMe have assembled huge DNA databases, with more than 10 million people on file. The company recently sent customers a survey to collect information for a potential Covid-19 study.We may soon have information on who might be genetically more resistant to this virus, with far reaching social consequences.

 

Waiting waiting waiting. Sto Aspettando. My primary sensation as I awake each morning is that of waiting. Sure there is a well of sadness and a tinge of anxiety as well, but waiting is the dominant chord. Waiting to embrace my daughters again, waiting for friends who are ill to recover, waiting for some semblance of return to normal. There is more than enough analysis, assessment, projection prediction forecast all of which are fancy words for guess. So I am also waiting for science to clarify, for the political divisiveness to ease.