“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” — Yoda
2020 – We are Afraid
2021 – We are Angry
2022 – TBD…
I have seen so much fear and anger from my friends and loved ones. Not to mention in my community, state, and country. I worry that we are on the path to suffering.
At Christmas service my pastor said the only way to fix our current state of mind is through love. Love for one another. Regardless of beliefs or positions. This got me thinking of my philosophy of a successful relationship. I believe there are 3 parts to a successful relationship. Like a 3-legged stool, you need all 3 to stand up. My 3 foundations are Love, Communication, and Trust. If you lose any one of these, your relationship collapses.
You have relationships in all aspects of your life. Like concentric rings, your relationships expand out from spouse & kids in the middle. Then family. Then friends. Followed by acquaintances, peers, community, and institutions. For many, the strongest foundation of love, communication, and trust are with spouse and kids. There can be dents and dings, but due to its strength, it is easily repaired. The further out we go, the weaker the foundation. The easier it is to break.
A relationship is a 2-way street. It only works if both parties are working together and respecting the foundation. Both parties have to stay focused on love, communication, and trust. So as we take an introspective look into our relationships, we should be able to identify areas where our foundation is eroding.
Here are some questions to help with our diagnosis.
1. Do you love your spouse? Do they love you? How do they show love? Are they speaking your love language? Are you speaking theirs?
2. What about extended family? Do they love you? Do they show it?
3. Let’s go a bit further. Do you love your community? How do you show that love? How does your community show love back?
4. What about institutions? Here, I would say that love is a strong word and not really as critical to the foundation as communication and trust. Do you love your bank? Do you love your state? What about your healthcare provider? And education providers? Political parties??? Do you love the USA? How do those show love to you?
5. How about that communication? Are the institutions communicating with you? Are you communicating with them? Do they really hear you? Are they responsive to your needs? Are you responsive to theirs?
6. Are you communicating with your loved ones? Do you listen? Are you empathetic? Do you value their opinions? Do they value yours?
7. Trust. Do you trust your loved ones? Do they trust you? How about your community? Do you trust your community? Do you trust the institutions? Do you trust those in power? Do they trust you?
As I reflect, I definitely see breaks in the foundation of my relationships. Maybe you do too.
So how do we rebuild? How do we patch up the breaks?
Honestly, this is the hardest part. Each relationship is different. In some cases, both parties want to mend the foundation. In others, it’s one sided. Some relationships are personal and individual. Some are more complicated and dynamic.
I think the first step is love. To have empathy for on another. To forgive. It doesn’t matter what someone’s opinions are. Their beliefs. Their science. Their religion. Their politics. Ultimately, they are human.
So my wish for you in 2022 is to find love for your fellow man. To forgive. To leave the path to the dark side of hate and suffering.
I've had this question for a long time. I know the USA is printing money like crazy. But also, countries around the world are doing the same thing with their currencies. So isn't it a wash? Why does it matter?
Preston Pysh answered this for me:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1470792736626331659.html
As the fog of war billows, we see truths and carnage that make little logical sense. This is not a story by Stan Lee. There are evil men on both sides. There are innocents on both sides.
The puppet masters have what they want. You’re afraid. You’re angry. You hate. And eventually you’ll suffer. They will reap the reward of your enslavement.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Remove yourself from the machine. Take back your life. Make no mistake, though. It won’t be easy. They need you fat, dumb, and happy. They will do whatever it takes to stop you.
Start slow and covertly. Unsubscribe from the media and tech they use to control your emotions. Verify their claims on reality. Assume the narrative is false until proven true. Unplug.
Find your community. Build trust in the service of others. Act locally.
Remove the yolk of fiat. This above all else. The masters main tool to control you is the bit and bridal of a corrupt money. Money that only they control. ...
