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An Email to the Next Generation |
An Email to the Next Generation on the Farm Spiritual Community
Subject: world affairs
Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 02:11:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael
(This is an email from a member of the Farm Spiritual Community to a member of the second generation of Farm folks, a boy who grew up on the Farm and is now a man with children of his own.)
Hi Steve,
What you are talking about is just what I was writing in my journal this morning. I've already brought kids into the world, and have 2 granddaughters --delightful little girls, as I'm sure you know--and I'm deeply concerned about the world they will inherit. I'm not sure there's any one answer to our dilemma, then, about how to stay positive in the face of all this knowledge of our situation. I keep thinking of something Gandhi said, but I can't pinpoint it, about how if we just "feel good" about life, or "trust in the Creator" without a full understanding of the actual situation we're in, then it is false. It is only if we look truth in the eye and still trust and rejoice in ourselves as part of creation that it is real. (This is analogous to what he said about being a pacifist out of cowardice vs. being a pacifist because you are willing to put your life on the line for peace.)
I find that the only thing I can do for myself to maintain this consciousness in which appreciation of the wonder of creation is balanced with the real possibility that we as humans can blow it big time--are blowing it big time--is to try to do something about it. Grieve, pray, and then accept the cards we are dealt, the world as it is and the burden upon every sentient being who understands the real situation--many still don't--to then act on our understandings and beliefs.
I believe this is what is meant by the Vow of the Bodhisattva. We invented the "fifth vow," namely to shovel shit against the tide forever, but I have to admit the "forever" part is a bit daunting, implying that there will never be an end, that humanity will never get smart enough as a whole to stop wars and environmental degradation, and that all we can do is make sure our fingers are in as many holes in the dike as possible (ten, I guess). Well, I for one don't think these degradations are a necessary and inevitable part of human life, that being dumb big scale is "just part of how people are." I think these bad habits are learned, and can be unlearned. But, on the other hand, I am realistic enough to know there is a lot of work ahead.
In the end you have to accept that you will need help from many other people, and from some kind of "divine" source, however you may envision that, because one person alone is not going to bring all the necessary changes about--you go crazy after a while if you think or expect that of yourself (megalomania; messiah complex). But one thing is for sure: if you allow despair to disable you, then that's one more person who has given up, and one more step towards what we are trying to prevent. (And those who don't understand, who are unfortunately running things on some material levels now, WANT you to be dis-couraged, so you can at least take some perverse joy in denying them that outcome if you keep at it.)
I rejoice every time another individual "gets it," and especially every time one of our second generation Farm kids expresses understanding of our situation. One of the main reasons we (I think I can say "we" and mean a lot of us) founded this community was so that we would have a chance to raise a generation of kids unconditioned by the "outside" world. While we couldn't mainfest this happening completely (it was harder than we thought), it did happen to an extent, and you guys are the proof.
Some of the hopes for us are the faster transmission of information, more individual citizens realizing what's actually happening, the power of prayer, how a few people with a spiritual agreement are stronger than lots of people with ego agreements or no agreements at all. You and your friends are so intelligent and have, by now, amassed so much experience and so many skills that you are well equipped to help. A positive attitude, realistically assessing the situation and then moving on to deal with it, glad to have the opportunity to do something about that, is infectious. People gravitate toward it (I admit I personally don't yet keep a positive attitude all the time, but I do so much more thanI used to.) We used to talk about making a revolution by charming people into it, and there is still a lot of power in that.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us, and carry on!
Peace,
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