Vastness

Sometimes it seems so overwhelming. The problems in the world – food, the environment, poverty, health, water, torture, war, species depletion, homelessness, hatred, the economy, access to healthcare, overcroweded animal shelters – they seem to go on and on and on and on. It is hard at times like these – when so many things are in such precarious shape to choose which one to focus on, because it invariably means that others you will not have the effort or hours (or even seconds) in the day to strive for. I don’t know how people want to be president and have to deal will all of these issues. For me it is overwhelming. I try to pick the ones that I think I can have the most impact. And believe that my efforts matter. Like voting tomorrow – after 2000 and 2004, it all seems a bit of a joke. That who will be sitting in the oval office next January has somehow already been determined. But if I don’t vote, I have no chance of being heard. And if I do vote – well, I know I voted … And I come back to the question of impact. Of a ripple in the ocean. One day, one person, one posture, one breath at a time. It sometimes doesn’t seem enough given what we are up against. But then, if everyone could breathe clean air, feel good in their bodies, and take a step back and allow themselves some time and perspective to contemplate prior to acting on the things that come up in their lives – maybe, just maybe, a lot of the things we are facing today will get a lot better. Or is that just how I rationalize my existence and the fact that I’m not trying to be a write-in candidate on super-Tuesday??