Eye of the Storm

January 6, 2023

Today is the calm after a big storm yesterday and before the next one starts tomorrow. Flooding, downed trees, and power outages are all over northern California. Yesterday I drove through the storm to a dental office to have a root canal. Then I came home and talked to my mother who has a mild case of dementia.

Life is good.

I’m fortunate to have dental insurance. My mother is fortunate to have a husband and four kids who love and support her. I’m grateful to have a warm apartment with a beautiful view in a treehouse atop a hill where the redwoods could come crashing down on our house or my car. Two days ago a big tree did just that in the nearby town of Occidental, where a redwood fell through the roof of a living room and killed a two year old boy. A terrible loss for that family.

Life is good.

Every day I pray for peace, healing, and victory for the suffering people of Ukraine and for the defeat of Russia and authoritarian governments everywhere. I’m appalled by the political chaos in Washington, especially two years to the day after our country survived an attempted coup and overthrow of democracy by our former president, and I’m saddened by gun violence and mass migrations and the ongoing abuse of our planet.

Life is good.

I don’t pretend to understand what is going on with the evolution of the human race. There are those who believe that humanity is moving toward extinction as a result of our ignorance and self destruction, and maybe that’s true. But I don’t think so. Something tells me that we are on the verge of a big change in consciousness, an awakening to the reality that we humans need to learn to respect one another and work together to save our common home. I don’t believe in astrology, but maybe we really are at the dawning of the age of Aquarius, or something like it. It may be wishful thinking on my part, but as New York Times opinion writer Nicholas Kristof says in a recent column headline, “Cheer Up! The World Is Better Off Than You Think.” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/opinion/2022-good-news.html

Today I’m just grateful to have ibuprofen to take after my root canal, and I’m enjoying the swaying trees outside my windows even as I hope that the redwoods will stay right where they are. Tonight, if I still have power, I’ll call my mom and enjoy talking about nothing in particular.

Life is good.