Sunday, November 3, 2013

How To Not Solve Your Challenges

Sunday, November 3, 2013


I went to the YMCA today...on a Sunday morning no less.  I am that committed to my own recovery process.  Tomorrow morning I will have what will hopefully be my last visit with my physical therapist.  I have had a good physical therapist all along but I am growing a little weary of how it seems I have been virtually living at Abbott Northwestern Hospital since this past July.  It's been an arduous process at times but I am very thankful to now be on the other side of the most difficult period I have experienced in quite a while.  Now comes the deep work of retraining my brain and deepest habits of relating to the world at large.  This is quite obviously not something one does in a single day, week or month.  But I am making excellent progress.

Sometimes I wonder how many Americans are drinking the magic Kool-Aid that leads to delusion, avoidance and simple bizarre processes of thought.  Faux News certainly specializes in this brand.  Yet even more mainstream media seem to be good friends with the elixir of delusion.  CNN is but one good example.

While at the gym this morning I noticed CNN was running on one of the television screens.  And there, yet again, the commentators were speaking about the 2016 election.  Whoever is ultimately responsible for the stories they focus on each day seems to be smoking crack or regularly doing hallucinogenic drugs.  It seems the people of CNN have not noticed the writing on the proverbial wall.  In my opinion the results of the 2016 election are not very likely to effect much change in our nation.  Why?  Because the Office of the President does not wield the type of power it once did.  And why is that?  This is due in part to the machinations of Congress in general and the Tea Party in particular.  When a small faction of one political party in one branch of our government exerts sufficient power to literally shut down operations of the federal government it is a healthy conclusion to believe that our government is on metaphorical life support and is no longer very democratic.  How can a democracy thrive when such a small minority of people are able to undermine an entire nation with a population exceeding three hundred million people?

I'll now make a second point (which is actually a rehashing of something I have already stated previously).  It's currently still 2013.  Why in the world is CNN focusing on an election that is three years away?  Is that somehow supposed to bring comfort to so many who are still recovering from the recession that first hit five years ago?  Three years is quite a period of time to wait for change.  By focusing so much on the presidential election CNN is doing the American people a disservice.  It's almost as if they are forgetting that there are two other branches of government that play vital roles in the healthy functioning of our society.  What will it matter who is President if our Congress continues to  perform so dismally that it rightfully earns the worst performance ratings ever recorded?

I reference the current political discourse (as evidenced by what I witnessed on CNN this morning) in this nation to make a point about one particular habit that simply does not work for individual people going through recovery from a serious health issue or addiction.  CNN is making the not insignificant error of focusing on one particular election that is almost exactly three years away.  Let me ask you the following question: When you are beset by a whole host of problems whose resolution proves quite challenging to achieve is there much value in thinking about something that may or may not happen that is three years away?

I don't think any therapist who possesses any skill whatsoever would advocate obsessing about the future to the detriment of paying attention to the present.  Obviously we need to give some amount of thought to the future as that is part of healthy living.  But taken too far we can end up distracting ourselves from the present moment.  The only moment we can ever truly live in is the present moment.  The future and the past both exist in our minds; we have memories of the past and can wonder, ruminate, worry or happily daydream about the future.  But to consistently live in memories of the past or visions of the future is to never really live at all.  To focus on the past or future to the complete exclusion of the present will not bring happiness or even a sense of relief.

After leaving the YMCA this morning I could not help but reflect on what I saw on CNN.  I believe our particular culture is not only obsessed with acquisitive behavior as a supposed path to happiness but also is one that advocates perpetual distraction.  We cannot successfully address our individual or collective problems if we cannot first be radically present to what is.  And so I ask you to consider this: What indeed is the reality of your life?  What are you able to be present to?  And what would you rather avoid confronting?

Healing and wholeness are not necessarily easy to achieve.  But we can find our way to a much healthier way of living.  But it takes time and patience.  I have learned the necessity of diligence and patience these last four months.  I continue to work hard and I am beginning to see more significant results.  If you feel overwhelmed take heart and know you are not alone.  And don't believe the American delusion that instant gratification is something realistic to expect.  It is not.

Have a lovely Sunday!

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I invite you to accompany me as I document my own journey of healing. My blog is designed to offer inspiration and solace to others. If you find it of value I welcome you to share it with others. Aloha!