With Ever Joyful Hearts

 there are so many disturbing things going on in the world that make it difficult to find peace in our hearts.  in the pacific northwest, a region of our country that normally has one of the mildest climates that can be imagined, an unprecedented heat wave has taken hold.  people are dying, roads are buckling, and many are suffering.  as our troops withdraw from afghanistan, many of those who live there are fearful of what will happen as the taliban takes over more of the country.  many of those who can are fleeing towards an uncertain future in other lands.  our country is more divided than it has been since the years leading up to the civil war.  we see many parallels between the behavior of our political parties now and during the last half of the 19th century.  voting rights of the poor and people of color are being suppressed, just as they were during the last quarter of the nineteenth century.  leaders of a party that represents a minority of the population are taking drastic actions to hold onto power, despite recognizing that the steps they are taking are not in the country's best interest.  democracy is in peril in many parts of the world.  the covid-19 virus remains a threat to much of the world's population.

in the face of all these problems, we cry out for an end to the worries they cause us.  we long to know how to confront and overcome them.  we are aware that there is little any one of us can do by ourselves.  how do we maintain a calm mind and peaceful heart in the midst of the chaos?  how do we find joy while so many are suffering?  how do we deal with our own suffering?  for me, meditation is one solution.  i can let go of my anxieties and reassure others.  i can look around at all the blessings i enjoy, knowing that others don't have such easy lives.  i can recognize that my obligation is to share my blessings with others as much as i can.  i can live a life of gratitude.  i can comfort others as i have opportunity.  i can defend the powerless.  i can vote for candidates who will try to address the inequities in our society and in the world.  as i think about it, there is a great deal that i can do if my heart is open and if i am willing to take on some of the suffering in the world.

may we not turn our backs on the suffering around us.  may we not ignore those who are racked with pain and anxiety.  may we see the good in the midst of the chaos.  may we be grateful for what we have.  may our gratitude lead us to share our abundance with others.  shalom.