We are always in turmoil. Always in a crash and burn phase. Just look across the planet. War. Famine. Pestilence. Corruption. Haves vs Have Nots. The never-ending story. Conflict. Look across time, world wars, slavery, genocide, concentration camps, nuclear bombs, humans killing other humans for the stupidest of reasons. It's a long, gory story of failure, barbarity and stupidity. So yes, 2020 has been a hellacious year, but it's just one of those years. Not worst ever, not the best by a long-shot. Eventful.
We are hoping to get through. Keeping track of days and of years is an activity that is also a bit of an illusory thing. Trying to keep track. Counting. We are a counting kind of species.
It is instructive to study history. What did other human beings do in other times? How did they deal with cataclysms, shocks, self-fulfilling devastations-unimaginable?
Getting thru. Keeping our heads. Living a life, bounded by demons, dragons, deathly deeds, bad actions, crazy ideas, wrong turns. It's a wild thing: the long slog of human history. Turns out humans are pretty hard on humans. We are our own worst enemies.
Shite. We can do so much better. What is a humble Pilgrim to do? Try a bit of clear-seeing. Read up on your history, then sit in silence, cultivate a bit of humility and humanity. We are capable of such great, mindless horror and such incredible kindness & beauty. We can learn, and lean to the light. I do believe.