Welcoming the Unknown

Albert Einstein quote: “Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.”

Ponder that awhile. Let its openness to the unknown take flight in your brain. Relax with the thought and feel the power it holds for you, the unlimited futures it portends. Do you feel it? Do you sense how right he was? Is this power awake within you?

Only you can answer those questions or feel the effect of his words. For me, I observe many people working to bring positive outcomes to our communities. Thing about just that. isn’t it phenomenal that millions of people work every day at teaching, counseling, nursing, doctoring, researching, building and generally making life better for countless people day in and day out?

Driving along an expressway in a large urban area we see big buildings and small, businesses, schools, laboratories, colleges, universities, and corporations. Within their walls are countless people actively doing things that change lives for the better. There are associations, organizations and think tanks that help others accomplish much more than if they worked alone. There are counselors, mentors, and advisors adding their horsepower to those of others to enrich the outcomes which benefit countless more lives. All in all, we work to do good things. We get paid to do these things most of the time. We even benefit from the efforts of others unbeknownst.

Viewed in this light we observe that most of what matters is truly supported and labored over most of the time. Bottom line: there is more good in the world than bad.

Encountering negative speech detracts us at times. Wedge issues are created as imponderables when in actuality they are tasks identified as needed doing. Immigration problems at our borders or in our communities? Do something about it that leaves the problem lessened, the causality addressed, and the outcomes positive. This is a governance issue, a political issue, a social issue and even a faith issue. It is ultimately a people issue that affects lives. Consider the options of fixing all of those issues. Do the work and solve the problem. Endless complaining does no good but does create negative actions that worsen outcomes. Accept the challenge and address the underlying issues so outcomes are positive. That solution is on all of us to find. Quiet the complains and work to solve the problems.

Abortion issues have you stumped? Why do we allow this to be a political issue in the first place? It shouldn’t be. It is a people problem that needs positive action to produce positive results. Keeping the human dimension of this issue is the first thing needed. We are talking about people’s lives here. Living and breathing people who need to be supported and allowed to be who they are. This is not a control issue, but a help opportunity. What are the desired outcomes? Work for those. Be guided by the practical and humane parameters of the issue. Avoid the urge to control others; dedicate those urges to help better outcomes.

Don’t like or understand sexual orientation? Don’t let it be a political wedge issue. Understand the issue in human terms. Allow people different from you to exist and work out the details of their lives. Learn the why they are the way they are. Learn why you are the way you are. Let this be a learning opportunity that enriches understanding. Avoid controlling the issue. You can’t control it. You can only ‘control’ how you think about such things.

The unknown is always with us. Sometimes at the edges of our consciousness, sometimes front and center. It is OK. It is our chance to think, ponder and renew how we see the world. We can either fear it or relish its fresh view of life.

September 21, 2022  

 

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