We belong in a story of hope... yet there’s a very real story of division and misused power all around us.  Today I drew a Storm Journey story card to share, and it turned up this reminder that sometimes we and our systems fail.  I know that this failure can be a mercy or essential learning in disguise, but it usually feels awful— or at least really, really uncomfortable.  

I’ve also been hearing this week about the natural and necessary decline and death of human institutions.  So I’m wondering: what are we building now that will be ready to rise up when failure makes way for change?  There’s so much to our story beyond the storms and failure!

Together— especially in times of stress or when things fall apart— we can invest in friendships and community, create new ways of using power, collaborate around resources, invent fresh spiritual practices, and more.  In our own hearts, we can focus on what’s our part to be or do, practice whatever keeps us resilient, raise our awareness of privilege and injustice, show up for our souls, be diligent and serious about our prayers/intentions, have fun on purpose, and ask for help to find enough joy to keep going.

I don’t at all mean to be fluffy or less angry about how we are failing and harming our neighbors, our unity, our spirits, and our planet, right now.  I mean to en-Courage myself, and all of us, to keep moving alongside our anger and panic.  I want to be and to live in ways that help us all flourish— right now, in the midst of the word as it is.  I want to stay ready and give what I can toward healing our communities and our world.

Failure is always coming, and change is always coming.  Yet fierce love and healing creativity are always with us.  

Let’s keep practicing.