the world and all us in it


The state of our world seems dire these days.

On Sunday almost 300 people were killed during a suicide bombing in Baghdad which took place in a busy shopping district at the end of Ramadan.

Last evening snipers started shooting police officers in Dallas killing 5 and wounding 7.   Apparently as a reprisal for the violence perpetrated on black citizens by members of this countries police force.

A police force which due to poor training, or perhaps (much more terrifyingly) due to an insidious ideology, are gunning down people in the street without, it seems, any cause at all.

Last week a cyclist was murdered in Williamsburg Brooklyn when someone in a late-model Camaro slowed down behind the cyclist (who was in the bike lane) and ran him over, dragging his body 30 feet before leaving the scene.

If there is an answer for all this violence no one has come forward with it.  If there is a way to donate good will like one might donate blood, show me the way.  In Dallas, as in Ferguson, peaceful protest is being met with violence.

People are one-upping each other in their disgust of it all and no one is coming up with a solution.   Its terrifying to me because the outcome seems to be becoming almost too clear.  The blood is starting to flow and the mob is going to soon start gnashing its terrible teeth.

On my run this morning my running group ran the second mile in silence.  We listened to our own breath and footsteps and to the runners around us.  We took 10 minutes to sift through our own anger, fear, frustration and sadness about the state of our wonderful world.

It didn't solve anything.  I repeat.  It did not solve anything.

But it allowed me to let go of some of the static (the anger/rage/fear/sorrow static) and let me, for a minute, try to see clearly.  Without, and only for a brief minute, letting my own insensitivities, fears and flaws get in the way.  

I have no answers and I hope I wouldn't be so arrogant as to think I could offer a solution.

But if you could, be kind to yourself out there today.  Tune out the static for a second if you can.

Virtual, warm, hug to you all.