How Will We Survive?
I know- sounds a bit dramatic, but I’m supposed to be an author, remember? Unfortunately this entry isn’t going to be poetic, entertaining, or generally very creative because I’m trying to get this out to someone relatively quickly. I wanted to spend a few minutes jotting down some thoughts related to a couple of conversations that I had today about the future of the country. I have a path in mind, and ironically I believe that I received a confirmation of the timing of this, because immediately after I left the conversation my favorite podcaster outlined what he believed he should be doing to prepare for a possible disaster in the near future. Please keep in mind that these points are from my perspective as a Believer, and are therefore drawn from my own worldview, which may be very different from yours- and that’s fine. Just keep this in mind if I say some things that are a little “out there” or outlandish. Now to the point. I fear that, even if our country receives a momentary respite after the November 2022 elections, things are going to get much worse. I believe that our inevitable downhill spiral will continue, and that now is the time to go back to the simpler times and establish more interpersonal connections and community. To these ends:
These are just a few basic things, and most of them center around others. If something should happen, there is no good that will come of being alone; as much as I, myself, hate to admit it- we need others. I believe that we’re heading into a battle that is way beyond Red versus Blue; I can feel it, and if you’re a Believer- you should be able to, also. Honestly, everything is going to end up for the good of the Believers, because God does win, but it doesn’t do anyone any good if we stand around waiting for Him to save us. I have previously mentioned that I have a heart for the suffering of veterans, and the abuse and indoctrination of children. I have not directly addressed these here but by surrounding yourself with like-minded, watchful, and generally aware individuals- these problems will diminish. It has been said that we exist right here and now on purpose, and for exactly this time. Don’t let God down.
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It seems like I’ve written about this before, and if I did- “oh well.” It seems pressing enough, and present enough, to warrant some attention.
I’ve been advocating attention to our country’s present condition for a while now, and am mostly met with blank stares or a rapid loss of attention (is that what people mean by “cognitive dissonance” I wonder?). I’m particularly fond of the case of the direct question, followed very closely by the person’s attention being drawn away by their smartphone, usually while I’m still answering their question. Is that rude? Am I really that boring? You can be the judge if you have read my book. I see things that are clearly jeopardizing the existence of the US as we know it, yet no one seems to care. More importantly- at least to someone who wouldn’t be interested in politics per se- I see things that directly jeopardize our children, to the point of them being in physical danger, yet I still hear crickets in response. People are too busy going to a soccer game, watching TV, or doing just about anything other than paying attention to their surroundings, and that leads me to the question- Where are the men? Traditionally I would expect men to be, at the very least, somewhat like I am; I’m not the most “manly” fellow by many stretches of the imagination, so if I, as a man, react to something- I would expect the more manly man to do at least the same. But nothing. For example: I just had a discussion with a small group of coworkers about the latest abomination of the drag queen “family friendly” events being held in the presence of children, and the inappropriate books available to them at an increasingly young age. No one heard anything about these things, which was disturbing for many reasons, but more importantly I received almost no gut reaction from the men- nothing- and they have daughters. Not an eyebrow raised, or a change in blood to the cheeks- nothing. And I most definitely didn’t have any follow-up conversations that included proving what I have said, or where these events have occured. Where are the men? Where are the men who react immediately, and sometimes violently, to anything that threatens the safety of their people? Where are the heroes, regardless of their physical stature? Where are the fighters? I’m fond of the phrase, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” And so I ask- where are these people? Oh, I’d LOVE to engage in a discussion about the latest “toxic masculinity” and feminism; that’ll undoubtedly be the subject of a later post, but not today. I try to keep these entries manageable, in small portions for easy digestion and better focus, because too many topics can result in nothing learned. And with that I’ll say “enough” and stop writing. Think on this. Then go do something about it. I had hoped to accomplish so much more with blogging and spreading awareness and discussion of my work, but life has had other plans for me this summer. A new dog, an engaging hobby, and a drive to prepare for this country’s uncertain future have taken up my normal “thinking time.” I’m hoping that, with the shortening of the days, I’ll have more down time to focus on writing.
...not that this entry would really be considered “writing” per se; it’s more like a Jeremiah-esque rant and revelation, or rather a confirmation of my suspicions, and not for the better. I finally got involved with my local community and attended a local political town committee meeting or two. The first one was comprised of only the chairperson and myself, but the second one was attended by almost ten people, which was encouraging. I don’t want to get into the specifics of the meeting to preserve the privacy of the group’s discussion, which will unfortunately make this writing less dramatic and perhaps less effective, but that’s OK; I need to get back on this writing bicycle, rusty or not. What I found both enlightening and discouraging was that my suspicions about what is happening in the country were essentially confirmed at the meeting; I sincerely believe that we have allowed the country to fall into the state it is in by our own inactivity, apathy, and laziness. I heard all sorts of excuses for not attending school meetings. I heard balking at venturing into a political race or position because it didn’t pay well enough (or not at all). I watched as other members complained about what they believed were illegal activities, but when I asked what they, specifically, did about it- crickets. I believe that my membership in this committee may be short. Towards the end of the meeting I stood to get my coat, and said (more or less), “I fear for this country, and if we are all banking on the next election to bring about change- did we not just have an election that everyone knew was a landslide, and how did that turn out, exactly? I stopped my daily conspiracy theory doses of hopium and am tired; I want to DO something. I dislike politics, and fear that, should the country still exist next year- we’ll all gather again at some point to continue to complain about our numbers, and the system- and do nothing about it. I am planning on visiting a local church to see how the pastor is leading the people, and frankly think that effort may be better invested in that community and its work, because all of my effort here may produce a vote or two, but that will fade away; however, if I can help affect a soul- that change is lasting.” I’m not sure how well that went over, but I honestly don’t care. God has recently led me to do things that have been outside of my norm, and I know that if I obey, there will be no failure. I just need to have the wisdom to understand what I need to do, and the courage and faith to do it. The moral of this story? I feel that there is an element of “it’s time to awaken the lions and stop wasting time on the sheep” (I think I just butchered a perfectly good saying there). I’ve spent a good amount of time explaining things to many people who just don’t see things- or want to see them- and I think I’ve had about enough of doing that. It’s time to gather the lions. |
This is a collection of writings that are typically related to my book. Some articles still need to be moved to the Blog page.
AuthorI'm just a quirky author with a wandering mind and something to say. Archives
November 2022
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