Communication, Fear, and Compassion

Worldly problems arise because we lack the ability to communicate clearly with each other. The point at which we learn to communicate is so far removed from the place where that communication becomes a matter of life and death. This is the fundamental problem that we face. By the time we are older enough to actually shoulder the responsibility for a civilized society, the original concepts have been hidden by more complex versions.

We could spend years trying to unwind things, and we would still make a mess now and again. The task is too complicated, the tools and means are lacking. The motivations are unclear and our faith diminishes. We lose courage and build shelters that only protect us from the rain. Occasionally we poke out heads out, make some proclamation, but all in all we remain silent. We make safe moves, unable to disturb the structures that we have come to depend on. As a result, we have war, racism, and all the nasty aspects of our world. All in some attempt to create some wall of safety from the changing world, but there is no safety from the changing world. All things must pass.

The only safety is realizing that this life is scary and beautiful at the same time. We must develop comfort with that. It’s ironic that our world has a disproportionate amount of pain and fear because all factions are trying to do away with pain and fear. Doing so amplifies the fundamental issue; until we are willing to admit to each other that we have fears, there will always be some gap in the communication between people, groups and societies. The need for compassion to counteract our fear is the root human condition that binds us. It is THE solution, and there is no time to waste.