“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” Dalai Lama

You know, if all I write about is stuff going on around me, it wouldn’t be how I write or why I write. Today, it is almost too easy to get completely sucked into the morass that is America. Not living under a rock, it is impossible to ignore it either. In spite of the temptation, I think I have still managed to make myself part of these recent stories. I know some of my writing sometimes appears like it’s just blindly slapped together and absent-mindedly thrown on the page, but it’s not even close.

The above paragraph spontaneously came together, because I was thinking about the silent opposition to the Orange Czar and his Chainsaw Puppeteer in Charge. Attacking the problem(s) by regurgitating them is both too easy and ineffective. Telling people what they already know goes nowhere. It is actually very annoying.

That is where I caught myself and started thinking about my own life. There is a term and a discipline that has become very fashionable, more of a technique than a way of life. Mindfulness is really another word for listening to yourself, alert and absent any judgment. If anyone thinks it is a place you arrive, you are miles away from the truth of it. It is like an ongoing education and you never graduate. I am trying, at least I can say that much. I guess, in a way, I am cheating, because writing this way makes it hard to avoid myself. 

In general, I think politicians are more concerned with what they have to say than listening to their constituents. Trump personifies this idea of being deaf to everyone else, but himself and he does it with a maximum dose of steroids. Ultimately, I know this will be his undoing, but doing so without any resistance is both dangerous and a serious dereliction of duty on the part of the Donkey People.

In many ways, it is really easy to listen to yourself. You have to be conscious of why you do things, even if it is at your own expense. It is almost like being in a lab, conducting an experiment and watching what comes of it, or else you can never understand its cause. I am kind of talking about the Science of Self, an amoral self-awareness. Understanding why is not a matter of right or wrong either.

Being selfish has had a negative stigma forever. I always love looking to the Buddha for answers about life’s seemingly, endless contradictions. He said, “Without mercy for ourselves we cannot love the world.” So, being there for others requires being there for yourself first. When politicians look in the mirror, they only see themselves, blind and deaf to the multitude right over their shoulder. That amorphous crowd are the people who put them there, entrusting them with their future. How’s it going?

I know Kamala Harris felt really good about having Beyonce’s support, plus the vast majority of the Hollywood star machine, too. Who the fuck is supposed to relate to that? It was obvious that people wanted change, any change would do. Saying you’re going to simply carry on the policies of a president drummed out of his job may prove your loyalty, but it ignores the desire of the electorate. In my opinion, Trump didn’t win the election, the Democrats forfeited it to him. Keep in mind, he barely won the popular vote. Mandate My Ass!

I get research from the Pew Research Center each week. You’d be amazed at how revealing it is, often shocking. Of course, there are differences between the Left and Right, which is why they have different names. Duh! The winning campaign platform is right there. If you could put your anger for the other side aside, you’d be amazed.

The vast majority of people want what you want. The woman’s right to choose is huge. The various social nets including social security and affordable medical coverage reflect a ubiquitous desire shared by everyone. The lopsided tax code, favoring the wealthy and large corporations has no friends amongst everyone, other than the billionaires. Dissatisfaction with government crossed party lines, as well. 

When you start moving out toward the extremes, you are going to find differences. Protecting our borders will find universal support, before sliding into the immigration quandary, which is all about skin color, fear of differences. You don’t have to tap into people’s anger to make your point. What you’re against doesn’t have lasting resonance with others. There is so much we have in common as Americans and tapping into that energy is an election.

Time to pull this all back into my world. Being a compassionate human being is the express train to heaven. Trying to viscerally understand who I am ain’t easy. It is not about inheriting a pre-existing value system, because it misses the mark. I am not like anyone I have ever met before, neither are you. Each one of our spiritual fingerprints are a one of a kind.

I think a mob happens when its participants forget who they are or even worse, they’ve got no idea. Do you want to inflict the suffering you are rallying around on your sister or your mother or your child? You know, because you don’t see someone, it doesn’t mean they’re not there. Are you that callous and filled with hatred for people you have never met? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, a synonym for humanity is: “compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition : the quality or state of being humane.” I got nothing to add.

I think Trump will provide the road map for his own defeat, but it requires traveling down that road first. He is a runaway freight train bound to go off the tracks. It is also not possible to be more obvious either. Before the crash, people need to start talking about what needs to be done to clean up the inevitable mess. Nobody cares if you hold up signs or walk out of meetings. What are you going to do to clean all this up?

When I look at my own life, I know I have screwed up before and what is done cannot be undone. Regret to me is like worry, because they are feelings about things you can’t do anything about. History is indelible, which is why it is called history. However, you can change how you feel about it. Worry is getting worked up over things that haven’t even happened yet. The trick is trying to be present and as aware as you can be about your feelings at the moment.

Those who are in positions of power and opposed to Trump have to understand how we got here and why. Then, you begin drawing another map to take you from the calamity to a destination that responds to people’s needs under these new circumstances. Just saying this is a mistake doesn’t change the outcome. It won’t take long for many, many people to feel they have made the wrong turn, waiting for a hand to lift them up.

Sitting on the cushion in the stillness makes it much easier to hear my inner voice. Once I start letting the world in, it immediately begins to get noisy and distracting. Those opposed to this Counterfeit King need to listen more and react less. The more aware you are, the clearer the path forward.

PS: Government just deleted all photos of the Enola Gay!

Guess Why? You’re right!

LISTEN TO IT HEAR:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/1292459/episodes/16747964-just-listen