What Can You Do?

It is so easy to be overwhelmed.  If I were to keep track of such a thing, I suspect I have to fight off that feeling (of being overwhelmed) at least once every day.

Things to do on the farm.  Things to do for PAN.  Things we want to do with the house.  Daily chores that can't be ignored.  People I should reach out to.  Bills that have to be paid.  This, that, and the other thing.

You know - all of that personal busy stuff that we all have to do at some level or another... and all of the personal worries and cares that come with being human.

Then, if you are like me, there are all of those "big picture" things we have to worry about too.  

No Free Passes

Someone suggested to me that I should worry less about all of those big things that I can "do nothing about."  I thought about that for a while and decided they were both right and wrong.

They were certainly correct that I should not worry as much as I often do about things for which I have very little personal control.  It would be better for me (and everyone around me) if I do not predicate my happiness and sometimes my very state of being on big ideas like significant reductions in world pesticide use, support for natural places and wildlife, opportunities for those who have few privileges and resources and... well, a long list of other things.

But, they are also wrong.  If someone like me, who has the opportunity to actually be content and happy in his life, will not take the time to consider that there are problems in this world that need addressing, then I become part of the problem.

I believe that there are no free passes on this Earth.  While it is not required that we must be miserable every moment to show that we can empathize with those who struggle, it is important that we recognize struggles and do what we can to alleviate them. 

Let me put it this way - my being miserable because there are things that are wrong on this Earth will do nothing to alleviate suffering.  My being happy because I ignore things that are wrong on this Earth will do nothing to alleviate suffering.

My being aware and doing what I can just MIGHT alleviate suffering.  Maybe I'll be unhappy because of it at times and maybe I'll be content because I'm doing what I can.  Yeah.  I can live with that.