When in Doubt, Take a Walk

   The summer is slipping away. For the first time in my life, I feel no sadness over that inevitable passing. I’m actually looking forward to autumn and some cool weather. There’s been some subtle and marked shifts in my personality. I won’t listen or stay silent for insults, BS or nonsense. I’m not angry, depressed or despondent. I’ve stopped watching TV for some time now. It wasn’t a deliberate decision, just something that happened based on my changed perspective.  Many of my decisions seem to be natural occurrences based on something subliminal and intuitive. ( In part, that’s how I reached the decision to retire as well. I don’t regret it and feel incredibly blessed to be out and sad for what the once noble profession has become.) I believe you really can’t go wrong if you trust yourself. These days, you are the only person you should trust. I like to do my daily walking meditation each morning in a desolate park. (Have you noticed there are no kids to be seen any where at any hour?) Usually, if something is preying on my mind, I will find the answer. One of the questions I was pondering was, ‘Are we experiencing a mass psychosis or a mass awakening?’ I kept going back and forth - the Hong Kong protests, Donald Trump, mass shootings, mass protests for social justice, tech addiction, selfishness, love and hate. In thinking out loud, I said, ‘I need a sign’. (Lately, I’ve been seeing and experiencing some strange things and to prove to my wife I’m not hallucinating, I’ve started taking my cellphone with me for its camera.) As I said this, I saw what I thought was a white kitten digging by a tree, so I took out my camera and said hello. It looked up at me and it was a pure white squirrel. Ah, I got my answer and wished the magical creature well. Squirrels are symbols of secrets and planning. A white squirrel is a symbol of awakening.

    I believe we are experiencing an awakening. Awakening to what’s hidden inside of us. Those qualities are subjective, and may not be appreciated by anyone but you. Perhaps this is the root of the extreme divisions we are seeing. Trust yourself. In case you think I’m nuts (which may be why the squirrel appeared) or actually experiencing part of that questioned mass psychosis, here’s the pictures. Of course, they won’t prove anything to those that don’t recognize we are undergoing a major worldwide societal upheaval.