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dealing with dark events

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Hopalong:
Thought a thread might help for this.

Like most, I'm terribly attuned to war in Europe, the danger, the suffering of so many innocents that's about to march before our horrified eyes, etc.

Talked about it with my elders' discussion group earlier and we took comfort from sharing our feelings. Interesting group with a Nam vet, deep and brilliant pacifist, and motley others, a former marine, another soldier, a brilliant 96 y/o. And a woman younger than I. Overall, a really nice diverse group of smart, caring people.

Hearing others express their own distress (after feeling guilt for bringing up the darkness) made me feel better, because I often push back against the unspoken agenda to "be positive."

I can't be, about this. I'm not freaking out, am taking in the news and sitting with it as spiritually as I can. But I do not, or cannot, compartmentalize as though it has no impact on me because I can still feed my crows, enjoy my friends, and afford groceries or gas.

Just a thread for sharing whatever anyone might need to, with war begun in Europe.

NO POLITICS INTENDED. Ain't about that. This is just ... humanity. Dealing with that.

hugs
Hops

Hopalong:
Anybody else thinking about Ukraine?
If you are, how are you dealing with it?
The news is horrendous and this is the beginning of something awful.
What we don't know is how drastic the awful will get.

I hope some scraps of the courage and sacrifice and dignity our Allies held together in WWII will still rise up in us. I hope NATO will be strong and include our help. So far, I'm containing fear. But also thinking thoughts like, I have been very lucky to live life for almost 72 years...then realizing they seem like "farewell" thoughts. If nuclear war results from all this and hits our nation's capitol, I'm no prepper but could go into my unheated basement for a time. Probably freeze, but with sandbags and water, might survive. More likely to have a heart attack though. I've always said if they plan to drop a nuke I'd like it dropped down my throat. I'd have no interest in living through the aftermath and nuclear winter.

Putin's actions are creating a new world and we don't know what the fallout will be, no pun intended.

hugs
Hops

sKePTiKal:
There's been enough darkness in the world for some decades now. Sharing my personal darkness isn't going to help someone very different from me. I would much rather point out that we are about 3 weeks away from the spring equinox and daffodils & tulips.

Once the ice melts off my trees, that is. LOL. I can only take care of, be responsible for... my little corner of the world. And I still have things to do in that respect.

Hopalong:
You're right, Amber. I was feeling overwhelmed by it -- and nearly always express the worst feelings to somebody. (I was frightened at what I was reading because even the most grave experts are sounding a dire note.) But I don't want to undermine anybody else's springtime.

One of the things I find hardest about living alone is having nobody in my life daily to express anything to during crisis times. Such as 9/11, events of similar weight. But I'm doing what I can, going to a "Zoom" vigil for Ukraine Saturday night.

Thanks for reminding me that the earth's beauty cannot be destroyed fully by humans. I should listen to my own favorite poem more (I've shared it here before).
Hugs, Hops (great article about Berry in this week's New Yorker, btw...)

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

sKePTiKal:
S'ok Hops - we talk to each other here. And yes, I know how reading/watching all the statements of the "worst possible scenario" can affect one's own outlook. It wasn't enough for me to just turn it all off, or discipline myself to question what is presented - and how it slants, and reasons WHY it might do so. I had to choose what to replace that activity with.

Invest enough energy in the positives I could see around me, to fuel growth to drown out the ability of negative media to evoke despair and futility feelings in me. At one point, over the past couple years of pandemic, Hol started doing the same. It was as simple for her as saying everyone was healthy, had a roof over their head, and had food to eat. To begin with.

And still, I scan the headlines - the amount of repetition of ideas is astounding! - and occasionally, dive deeper into something perhaps new on my radar or that I'm curious what the author thinks; how they see things. But I regularly pull myself away to DO productive things; fun things. To enjoy what is still here to enjoy - including accepting the accompanying risk that is inherent in actually living. I've done the "just existing" for extended periods of time, and it's no longer comfortable for me. It's no guarantee of "safety" or "security" either.

Besides: Stinkers needs constant awareness on my part -- he just now tried to walk across a 2 inch ledge (AGAIN) to get to the top of my tv shelves, which holds breakable knick-knacks. SIGH.  ;)

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