What we're doing to each other as human (humane?) beings and to the places where we live, move and have our being show two roads, one rather evil and sinister leading to destruction, the other with good intentions to co-creating. It's the proverbial fork in the road. We have choices, until we don't.
This brings to mind the human predicament of “respond” vs “react.” Given any stimulus, ANY stimulus, because we are human, we have the power to respond. Most other “other than human” beings react—instinct. When we know we have choices, and we have the luxury of time, we can respond. When not, we are forced to react. As always, namaste Gary.
So many knee-jerk reactions without taking time to consider options and choices and we wonder why more people don't take the time to think before acting, to be sure that mind is in gear before starting mouth. I used to remind kids about that when they were in trouble for something they said or did that was "out of bounds." I also said, if they had the chance to rewind and remind themselves, what else might they have considered? A teachable moment! Maybe for adults too!
Thank you Kert. Painful and true. My hope is that Martin Luther King Jr was correct about the arc of history tending towards justice. I also hope that we can help move that arc more quickly with good choices.
Absolutely loved reading this. Thank you.✨
What we're doing to each other as human (humane?) beings and to the places where we live, move and have our being show two roads, one rather evil and sinister leading to destruction, the other with good intentions to co-creating. It's the proverbial fork in the road. We have choices, until we don't.
This brings to mind the human predicament of “respond” vs “react.” Given any stimulus, ANY stimulus, because we are human, we have the power to respond. Most other “other than human” beings react—instinct. When we know we have choices, and we have the luxury of time, we can respond. When not, we are forced to react. As always, namaste Gary.
So many knee-jerk reactions without taking time to consider options and choices and we wonder why more people don't take the time to think before acting, to be sure that mind is in gear before starting mouth. I used to remind kids about that when they were in trouble for something they said or did that was "out of bounds." I also said, if they had the chance to rewind and remind themselves, what else might they have considered? A teachable moment! Maybe for adults too!
Thank you Charles for the restack!
Thank you Kert. Painful and true. My hope is that Martin Luther King Jr was correct about the arc of history tending towards justice. I also hope that we can help move that arc more quickly with good choices.
Amen to that. Thank YOU Ian!
It’s quite a loooooong bend. Hard to see the degrees of arc. Very hard to see.
Really great Kert, thoughtful and an interesting experience to be led through as your poem leads us to a sad truth