Dealing With Persistent Malaise

I don’t generally get depressed easily, or when I do, I typically don’t stay in that state for very long.

This is different.

Honestly, since last November there’s been a backdrop of disbelief that’s slowly transitioned into a growing malaise. This last week it took a full-on leap into “WTF?!” territory.

Unfortunately, it’s also been impacting my ability to remain focused and productive, and I’m not sure what to do.

In addition to not depressing easily, I also typically don’t panic. My mind rarely goes to the more extreme possibilities when faced with any particular situation, event, or potential crisis.

And yet.

I am shocked and saddened by the actions of our government. And, indeed, I find myself deeply troubled where fears of things like fascism, nuclear war, economic collapse – while not likely – have actually entered the realm of possible. To my shock and sadness add an undercurrent of actual, honest, fear.

That there are people who actually, honestly, believe we have the right and proper leadership, only adds to that fear.

When it comes to the state of the world, to the state of politics, to the state of our leadership, I’m lost, I’m frustrated, I’m stuck, I’m a little afraid, and I don’t know what to do about it.

How to #StayOutraged Without Losing Your Mind helped some. But it’s not enough. It’s difficult to disconnect – even for a short period of time – without the guilty feeling like I ought to be doing something. That I can’t just let this be, even for a short time. We can’t let what’s going on right now become the new “normal”.

And yet I have no idea what that “something” I ought to be doing should be, thus taking me back to my spiral of frustration.

To quote the late Paul Harvey, “You get the government you deserve.” What did we do to deserve this?

I take some solace in the fact that I know I’m not alone. Indeed, I write this in part to perhaps let others in the same situation understand exactly that. And perhaps to hear from them as well.

Maybe it’ll all blow over. Maybe the next two, four or eight years will see change – as would be expected – without the potential calamities that so many fear.

We can hope.

But while we hope, we fear.

Don’t be surprised if I pull my head inside my shell a little more often, and for longer periods of time. Right now it’s the only way I know to avoid despair (though writing about it helps, a little).

4 thoughts on “Dealing With Persistent Malaise”

  3. From my basic, limited understanding of quantum science, everything is probabilities. while you can’t predict the future, you can always work backwards and see every step that got to where we are today.

    therefore, EVERYTHING is PERFECT!

    don’t like it? change the seeds that got us here . . .

    Consider:
    – The now Global Market Economy – based in debt. NOTHING people controlled happens without it! NOTHING!

    – “God”/”Religion” – While many people have their hearts in the “right” place – in the mainstream, Idolatry has substituted for “God” –

    As the forehead of Man grows broader, so do
    his creeds;
    And his gods they are shaped in his image, and
    mirror his needs;
    And he clothes them with thunders and beauty,
    he clothes them with music and fire;
    Seeing not, as he bows by their altars, that he
    worships his own desire;
    And mixed with his trust there is terror, and
    mixed with his madness is ruth,
    And every man grovels in error, yet every man
    glimpses a truth.
    From The God-maker, Man, by Don Marquis

    I’ve heard that in the early days, both Judaism and Christianity forbid charging interest on money! I’ve spoken with Muslims that still refuse interest on their savings!

    I’ve read – making people, places or things holy – is idolatry in Judaism. I’ve also read – Rabbi Hillel, just before Jesus – don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you – is what Judaism is about. – compare these concepts. One of them leads to Mr. T in the White House.

    Language:
    English – 30% verbs, 70% nouns, North American Indian languages, at least some, 30% nouns, 70% verbs (hint – it’s not the nouns that are important, it’s what’s between the nouns! Relations!)

    Books that speak about North American Indian cultures that are the reverse of ours that i’ve read –
    “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    any of the 3 books by Rupert Ross (also a short youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY2rY-mzDFY)
    “Daughters of Copper Woman” by Anne Cameron
    From the opening story “Copper Woman”:
    And then the Creator, who is neither male nor female, man nor woman, but both, and something more than either…took the shells of the sea and the minerals of the rocks and fashioned a skeleton…took the salt water of the ocean and made from it blood…took handfuls of dirt and on the skeleton fashioned a body, which was then encased in skin, made from the skin of the Creator and the same color as copper…she became First Woman, she became Copper Woman.
    I’ve heard from some North American Indians – in their culture, a Leader is someone that makes sure everyone’s need are taken care of, BEFORE taking care of him/herself.

    Want – real – change?

    We need to go back to the very basics – don’t do to others what we don’t want them to do to us – and begin to try to understand what that really means.

    Feel free to get in touch!

    I’d love to sit down over coffee, tea, etc and begin the conversations

    v

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