Distractions Help Us Avoid Realities That We Must Face To Change Our Lives and Save the World
Temporary escapes from negative thoughts are welcome respites, but we must also acknowledge and address painful realities
Do you use social media, novels, or other tools to distract you from the realities of daily life? Are you unhappy with the way things are but unsure what to do about it? Do you think there must be a better way to live?
My answer to those questions is a resounding “yes.” I’ve spent most of the last two days reading a novel. In the last month or so, I’ve been on Facebook for hours at a time, desperately seeking something that will make me laugh. I didn’t plan those activities; they were more like compulsive behaviors that kept me from thinking about other things.
But I firmly believe that we must face reality and rediscover a better way to live. Not just as individuals, but as communities and caretakers of the earth and its creatures. I share the sentiments Francis Weller expressed so eloquently:
We were not meant to live shallow lives, pocked by meaningless routines and the secondary satisfactions of happy hour.
We are the inheritors of an amazing lineage, rippling with memories of life lived intimately with bison and gazelle, raven and the night sky.
We are designed to encounter this life with amazement and wonder, not resignation and endurance.
This is at the very heart of our grief and sorrow.
The dream of full-throated living, woven into our very being, has often been forgotten and neglected, replaced by a societal fiction of productivity and material gain.
No wonder we seek distractions.
Every sorrow we carry extends from the absence of what we require to stay engaged in this “one wild and precious life".
We aren’t meant to live the way so many of us do. Our current lifestyle endangers our health and destroys the environment every living thing needs to survive and flourish. We must change our lives, and I believe we can if we work together. The necessary changes won’t happen quickly or easily, and some people will try to prevent them from happening at all. But even if our efforts turn out to be too little, too late, I’d rather try and fail than give up without a fight. I hope you would, too.
P.S. I created an ebook, “Nature + Nurture,” to reinforce this message.
Maggie Aime (The Write RN) described it this way:
Nature + Nurture is, hands down, Wendi's pride and joy. And after getting a sneak peek at it, I can absolutely see why.
It’s a beautiful piece of work that combines Wendi’s gorgeous nature photos (she’s a skilled photographer, too!!) with wisdom inspired by the great outdoors. In Wendi's words, "I believe this book could change lives. Its words and images encourage readers to appreciate their unique beauty." …
I don't know about you, but those words, that mission speaks volumes to my soul. So, join me, and let's show Wendi some love and support for her groundbreaking work. It’s that good!
Your "Nature + Nurture" Book sounds wonderful. I have seen your Photos. You do know how to capture nature. Going out for a morning or afternoon walk gives me a chance to see the ducks from our pond behind our condos, as well as viewing the flowers, plants, and trees. The exercise makes me feel good. Yes, I know that for me social media can get compulsive. I do struggle with getting away from it at times. What helps me is to forgive myself. Also if there is a painful reality I am dealing with, I try to get some support though friend, minister, and or a therapist to listen to me. The last two months I had physical therapy for my partial tear in my right bicep. I am 90% better with pain in my right shoulder and now am using two pound weights to build strength in my shoulder. It's a discipline to do physical therapy, and the rewards are great. So even if the pain of a disability can be tough, it is rewarding to find ways to cope.