Sunday, April 19, 2009

Crumbling Dreams and Dashed Hopes

Over the past few days I have looked at the news back in the States. Repossessed homes being sold for as little as a dollar in Detroit, the mass killings that are going on in workplaces, public sites, and now the advent of familicide. I can't remember a time, since the 1970s when the US became so violent. I ran across an article from the San Francisco Chronicle, published in 2007 about how rare 'familicide' was. The alarming sentence that caught my eye, 'familicides were most prevalent in rural areas during the Great Depression."
I decided I needed to take a walk.
During my walk, I of course encountered all kinds of steps. The nice polished ones, and others that were in need of repair. The choosing to take the stairs, not knowing where they would lead me, but I of course kept going. This was one of my random walks where I would tell myself, 'just go with the flow and see what you find.' I chose a new direction to walk today...just because.
When I walked under this tunnel, I thought about how dark it must be at night, with little to light the way. Yet, the tunnel wasn't long and I am still putting one foot in front of the other.
Further down the road I saw Korean lanterns tied to the trees and I decided to follow them.
And came to this building.

My point is...that sometimes things end for a reason and the hopelessness seems to wear everyone out. There are a lot of people who are desperately looking for a way to keep their dreams afloat. Sometimes, you have to build a new dream. Sometimes, you have to let everything go and start all over. It's how you react to this illusion called security.

The fact is, you don't know what the future will hold. You have to have the courage to turn the pages of life. If all you see is doom and gloom, you need to change the perspective. If you don't think I know what I am talking about or that I haven't been there...well, I have. Sometimes, you choose to let go because you know that by holding on to what you think is of value...in the end really isn't of value. People are of value. Your family is of value. They are not a burden. You don't know what they will be capable of in the future. No one is the center of anyone's life.

When you realize you don't own anything to begin with, and only a steward while you live and breathe...laugh. This is needless stress. Where will you live? What will you do? How will you survive? All of those questions have answers. You are not the sum of a credit score. Aren't you more than a three-digit number?

I know I am.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is a link you might find interesting:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D97FOH0G1&show_article=1

I thought it was pretty sad. It shows how few skills Americans have for coping with anything stressful.

Makes me glad I'm leaving the country for the next year.

Marilyn said...

Thank you for sharing and yes, I would have to agree with you...a good time to be abroad and it is very sad, indeed.

Lyn Hicks said...

Everything is cyclical. As a flower farmer, the crumbling dreams are just like the cycle of winter here! Sometimes we are on a roll, others we are down. It is all just a cycle! We are in a down cycle after such a long up! Its okay, its all part of the big loop! It a matter of perspective! Lots of great compassion is to be seen at this time as well!!lyn@harmonyhillgardens.com

Marilyn said...

Yes indeed Lyn. Incredible compassion is needed in these times.