Our Future… the “Internal Universe”
Our world today is in chaos. Our politics, our resources, the Global order. The lives of so many people all over the world are in complete disarray. From Africa to the Middle East to right here in America. Some look at this mess and conclude… maybe a period of disruption is necessary before a new time of peace can emerge, prevail. I’m not so sure, but I have other thoughts.
We are world wide systematically exhausting, destroying our natural resources.Certainly our financial resources here (20 trillion in debt). I could go on and on, but think you might agree with me on this. At least accept this premise for a minute. Ok?
The best close to home example for me is Atlanta, GA. It was once known as “greenest city in America”. I remember flying to live here in 1990. Looking out the window. “Wow look at all those trees!” They seem to blanket the City. No more. The pursuit of the “buck” has resulted in a massive bulldozing. Trees have fallen by the hundreds of thousands… office buildings, shopping centers, condominiums have filled the empty space. That view from the plane window now? Looks like a the MRI of a cancerous brain. Brown areas revealing decay, the construction, in reality the destruction of our once “greenest” city.
All the solutions are “out there”. We expect our leaders, local and federal, to solve these problems for us.
Well, no. I believe our future will be more created by what goes on in our “internal universe”, our individual hearts and minds. Not our external world. At our core? Too many of us today are driven by greed, the almighty $! In truth most of our leaders today are wealthy … in many cases super wealthy. Aren’t they. How do you think they got there? Policy decisions in too many cases that line their pockets versus those that conserve, serve a greater good.David Brooks in his book “The Road to Character” cites two thought regimens resident today. #1… The achiever, the driven, the wealth builders. “It’s all about me.” You know plenty of these. Then there is #2. The thinker, the caring, the “what if” guy or gal who sees the systematic erosion of our values, our lives as they might be. Manifested by all the cancerous destruction consuming us.
What about society? Our resources, our legacy for those to follow? Our grandchildren. Sees the goodness, life experiences needed for our world to thrive, survive. Brooks asserts that we have an epidemic of #1s… and far too few of #2s.It’s not my intention to make moral judgements here. But really.The “internal universe” is about changing the patterns, scripts we, you live by today. Our behaviors. We will have to see (I will not live to see this.) a new world order that will require we accept, live with the new cataclysmic realities. Our attitudes, states of mind, our hearts will have to change. We will be called to connect with one another much more.
Not bury ourselves in our devices, self focuses, “me” thinking. Our “internal universe” will be called to respond to a drastically different world centered more on our care and loving of resources, our planet, of one another, ourselves.Uh oh you say… here come the next generations. Millennials, the first wave. Seemingly unmotivated, outspoken, “don’t get it.” Not so fast. Adulthood is always preceded by adolescence. Maybe just maybe our dear millennials are going through their adolescence only to emerge more heart centered, more aware of their “internal universe”. Keep your fingers crossed.
My coach asks, “Bob, do you know how much growth, Love there is to be drawn on today? Right now?!” Me, “Not really” Chris replies, “See yourself as a grain of sand on every beach in the world X infinity. It’s there for any one of us to tap into. Right now…”So concluding… those times you gather as a family, engage with friends, your precious grandchildren… tell them, eye to eye. Their is nothing more powerful in our lives than Love. For our planet, our family our friends. And for sure our grandchildren. All of God’s creation. The “Internal Universe” … resident in each one of us. Your future, our future… our destiny.