In my younger years, having been called “Little Mz Why” and later, “Pollyanna,” a word beyond my scope, I was never sure whether it was a compliment or a slam. With a few more years and a dictionary search, I found that many people are quite put off by a Pollyanna view while others are more receptive to a bright outlook on life.
In this infamous year of 2020, nearly every minute, we are bombarded with abysmal outlooks, often along with dark, angry fears and feelings. Such fears and anxieties are certainly understandable in this time of ‘populist’ thinking. The tendency to tribal up within small groups to exchange ideas, thoughts, fears, and accusations about what is right, wrong, left, right, or up, down are often based on assumptions and tribal associations rather than truth.
If we say something enough times with people who share our shouts and exclamations, we can quickly develop a dislike of those who are cheering for an opposing tribe. Like football players, we put on our fighting gear, lower our helmets, and attack our imagined opponents. They become the enemy, a team that must be annihilated. We begin to call one team good, another nasty, one right, the other wrong. Thus, the spirit of relationships begins to lose the humanity of life, friendships, and indeed politics.
On cold days we may want to find a sunny spot to feel the warmth of the sun. The sun brings light to the landscape and shines regardless of the people’s ideologies to choose the light or the shade. As the sun moves from the eastern horizon to the western sunset, it flows over the landscape faithfully, beyond the clouds, wind, rain, sleet, snow, and it masterfully gifts the planet with source energy that allows all creatures, plants, lakes, oceans, mountains with the ability to live, die, renew, then continues its journey without defining: good, bad, right, wrong, agreeable or deadly.
As we two-leggeds approach each day, we make a choice. What will we bring into it? We can choose to hide in the darkness, feel chilled, or soothed; we can move into the sunshine comforted by the warmth, or damn the heat. Whichever we choose, it is not caused by the sun. Our own mind causes our choice. The ‘team mind’ we align with and the singular decision that comes from within our mind drives our behaviors, having nothing to do with the sun or the tribe. Rather, all choices are due to our mind’s judgment. How deeply have we allowed tribal energy to divert us from our individual humanity? When the sun sets over our horizon, its heat and light do not go out; they simply move into a new position and gift life to another part of the planet.
When our nighttime comes, the sun will rise the next day. The day will move on with rain or shine, regardless of our mood. However, our attitude will change the energy we radiate. Our singular heart and mind will determine how pleasant or mean we choose to be.
Backing away a bit to consider all the gifts and tragedies moving around the planet each day, we have an opportunity to uplift or slam down the many challenges presented. To learn, blame, fear, lie, or choose meanness or compassion, are all an inside job.
M. Chandler McLay © December 1, 2020