Well, it is raining cats and dogs today. So weather could be my focus, or the demise of the Big XII, or politics. But really, the common thread here is one of chaos. Or apparent chaos. Flooding rains, disgruntled and "underfunded" college sports programs, and ineffective government all reflect the seeming endless flow of chaos by which we are surrounded. As Yeats writes, "the center will not hold."
Congressmen "assault" college students by grabbing their arms, presidents blame instead of try to help fix problems, and CEO's try to wriggle out of responsibility. All the while, people along the Gulf Coast lose their livelihoods, and real people face real problems that seem insurmountable. Things fall apart, whether you live in Kenya, or the United States.
Fortunately, in OKC there are people out trying to help those stuck in flooded areas, college students still get to end up playing sports, and, occasionally, a politician does show signs of being both leader and public servant. People are trying to help clean up the oil spill, and others are taking medicine, mosquito netting and clean water drinking straws filters to Kenya and other places in dire need - even in the chaos. We can hope that these things happen more often than not, and we can also look for ways to help undo the chaos around us in little ways, or big.
Life is not "safe," chaos surrounds every moment of every day; the skill is to be able to navigate it, and make one's life meaningful in the middle of it, like a surfer on a wave, or sailor in the storm. This is to live life well, or at least, this is part of it. It is difficult to do, at best, but like pulling disparate topics like weather and politics and college sports together, it can be done. So today, I'm looking for my opportunity to surf skillfully through some chaos, I hope you are too.
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