There is no doubt that we are living in difficult times. And it seems that there is not much that we can really do about that. The forces at play are vast and powerful; it feels like our personal area of influence is limited.

It is so easy to feel quite helpless. I know I do. And so I want to say this, that what we can do is almost too simple sounding in it’s banality. And that is firstly, in these perilous times we are called to make a conscious effort to stay deeply present, more than ever before. We can witness what is occurring, and without our usual modes of escape or distraction.

And then I can ask myself, what can I do to raise the level of energy in my circle of agency? Smile at a stranger, be kind to a person having a hard time, contact someone who might love to hear from us, help someone out, the list is endless.

The world feels very broken right now, and it certainly needs your loving attention – the most valuable thing we can give. The easy path is to shut down or retreat. It is much harder to step up with compassion.

If this post is meaningful to you in anyway, please share it with your friends.