There is a particular kind of strain that comes of living in a time like this. Great social and political tension, the widening divide between entrenched positions, the rise of hatreds we thought had finally been marginalized, all lead to uncertainty, anxiety, discomfort.
But there is also tremendous opportunity in this historical moment. The world we created was not working. The systems of thought, the cultures we developed, and the policies that emerged from them, consistently led to human suffering, oppression, exploitation. This was true throughout human history, and it was true in the modern period as well.
What will push us to change, to challenge these patterns? Desperation. Urgency. Anxiety. Discomfort.
So if you feel uncomfortable, or are concerned about the way things are going in this country and elsewhere: know that you’re not alone, that many of us feel the same way. And this might be our greatest hope. Maybe our discomfort will push us to imagine a new world into being, one of kindness, sensitivity, and respect. Our discomfort is a door we need to walk through together.