Happy Face 12

There is joy in the midst of it all and even hidden somewhere underneath all the sadness, the depression, the anger, the bitterness that life often leaves us as its legacy, there is still a grain, however tiny, an ember, however near to dying, that can be summoned forth to life. There is something about the sad, bad and bitter experiences of life that actually shelter and protect the seed, that hold and keep warm the glowing ember. They, whoever they is, say that life is a struggle. But even more, life is a gift. We generally don't know this, or if we do, we so often forget, as we go through the day treating each other like obstacles in the way, or providers of services, goods or pleasure. There is something in choosing to love others that opens our eyes to the gift. Even today, with the emotional hangover from the holidays that is slowly dissipating, I am looking forward to getting outside and embracing the day. I will be alone, this being my quiet day, but I am much alone these days anyway, which isn't always a bad thing, and tomorrow there will be people at church and a friend on Skype who lives in a distant land. Then there are the scary, cold and hard realities that are facing us every day. This is more than simply putting food on the table, paying the mortgage or rent and saving for that bucket list vacation. However, to listen to the angry idiots in Alberta who want their oil pipeline, one would think that this is all that is important in life. I had to nag and hector, for two days, by phone, the hosts of the afternoon CBC radio program On the Coast because of the way they were celebrating car culture. They were playing music that people like to drive their cars to. That was their theme for the week. Wednesday and Thursday I gave them both barrels of my wrath and indignation. Friday, they were no longer playing that theme. Coincidence? Or maybe mine was but one of many other phone calls from similarly irate listeners who don't like it when our own public broadcaster shirks its public and moral responsibility. For those of you, Gentle Reader, who aren't quite getting my point, cars emit carbon and other noxious substances into the atmosphere, that help increase global warming and the risks of catastrophic climate change. Why isn't our public broadcaster, the CBC, doing more, much much more to guilt, encourage and harangue their listeners to get out of their damn cars, take transit, bike, walk, skateboard or whatever, instead of clinging to those noxious death machines, if only to facilitate their lazy and privileged arrogance? I am glad that there are more people waking up to this reality, but the response is still very slow and with plenty of backlash from the deplorables who elect toxic idiots into high public office. It is hard to find cause for joy, knowing that the likes of President Dump and others of his ilk are so eager to drag us and the whole planet down into hell and oblivion, and we have to keep resisting Giving up is not an option. There is joy in resistance, and it also makes us stronger. But the joy begins here, with where we are and in how we treat one another, and in how we treat the other beings with whom we share space on this planet earth. There isn't much that any of us can do individually. Quite a bit more that we can accomplish together. But even alone there are small acts of kindness and joy, even if they are but kind and encouraging words to strangers as well as to those whom we know and love, that can help prepare the way for the much bigger changes that are facing all of us. We are not isolated units. We are all connected, even if we do not know it, and even if we don't like it. And often we don't like it, this nuisance of other people, until something happens, we've had an accident, we need help, first aid, an ambulance, and then suddenly how could we possibly cope without others, without the kindness of strangers? Just as I am sure that the idiots in Alberta are also, for the most part, kind and decent people, if shortsighted, ignorant and greedy. They probably make great neighbours, but they don't want to give up any luxuries for the long-term future of the planet. I suppose that we can, and ought, to go on enjoying life and one another, but if this becomes a simple escape from the darkness looming ahead of us, then we really have to start waking up. This doesn't mean that we have to make ourselves and one another miserable about it. I really doubt that any of us should have to dwell on these horrible things 24-7, otherwise we would break under the strain. We are almost hopelessly fragile, it seems and I don't think that most of us are going to be ready to face the imminent challenges that lie ahead. Don't forget to smile. And don't forget to laugh. Ha-ha.