I read DU and can but wonder what we, who have maintained contact

[Jackpine Radical]

with harsh reality, have become. I feel our rage, our paranoia, our general jumpiness. If we ever get back to a sane world, those of us who remained aware of what has been going on in this era are going to need a major head-cleaning. We have been acting, reacting, overreacting, fearing, raging, slipping into fits of hopeless melancholy, occasionally rising to manic heights, fighting, crying, weeping and beating our heads against the wall for six years now. Are any of us in shape to live in a calm and normal time? In shape to even recognize a sane and normal time if one befalls us? Or will our calmer, more ignorant and passive brethren have to cage us and restrain us lest we prove incapable of returning to a civil pattern of life?

I am now beginning to think that the time for cool and intelligent heads is rapidly coming, maybe faster than we can yet imagine. If the nation is again to flourish, verily if the world is to survive, it must be through the application of rational, deliberative and creative thought processes--all those so-called "higher functions" that seem to have been extirpated from our world these last few years. Can we get them back? Can we rehabilitate ourselves? Or are we, with our battle scars and invisible injuries from the Bush Years destined to become fossils, fit only for the human scrapyard?

Does anybody know what I'm trying to say?

[ClassWarrior]

1. I know exactly what you're trying to say, JR...

I've thought about this myself, and my personal solution will be to channel that nervous energy into permanent activism. There'll always be something that needs an advocate, and I can't go back, so I might as well go forward. Does that make sense?

NGU.

[scarletwoman]

2. Here, see if this helps...

What I did at 8 o'clock tonight was turn off the TV and put on one of my favorite CD's that my son burned for me on his Mac. It's a compilation of some of my very favorite songs ever.

I turned up the volume and just started dancing all around my house. I decided that indulging in unfettered joy and gratitude for life and awesome rock'n'roll was the best way to counter the horrible awful bad evil vibes of the warmongers.

I refuse to let the bastards get me down! They are anti-life, they are dark and mean and cruel and ugly. I fortify myself with beauty and love and joy. We HAVE to fight these creatures of Darkness, and the only way we can arm ourselves is with Light.

I'm still playing music. I will not surrender to exhaustion and despair.

Did I get what you're saying?

sw

[scarletwoman]

3. Here, see if this helps...

What I did at 8 o'clock tonight was turn off the TV and put on one of my favorite CD's that my son burned for me on his Mac. It's a compilation of some of my very favorite songs ever.

I turned up the volume and just started dancing all around my house. I decided that indulging in unfettered joy and gratitude for life and awesome rock'n'roll was the best way to counter the horrible awful bad evil vibes of the warmongers.

I refuse to let the bastards get me down! They are anti-life, they are dark and mean and cruel and ugly. I fortify myself with beauty and love and joy. We HAVE to fight these creatures of Darkness, and the only way we can arm ourselves is with Light.

I'm still playing music. I will not surrender to exhaustion and despair.

Did I get what you're saying?

sw

[rosesaylavee]

4. Yes. We will be ok again.

This reminds of my mom and her generation of relatives talking about WW2 and the Great Depression. They adapted to very difficult times - lack of food, shelter - most of the boys my mom graduated from high school with never returned from the War. They learned to laugh again and survived it just fine. We will too.

I find now that my level of appreciation for small moments of peace and normalcy is greater and greater. Have you read Man's Search for Meaning? If not, get it. If yes, maybe this would be a good time to reread. Whatever you do, take a break and turn off the news.

Peace to you.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I'm a vet of combat in Vietnam. I also know about the Frankl book.

Read it many years ago, in fact.

I more-or-less glued myself back together after Nam. I haven't had the news on. Just DU. I've been spending a lot of time with things like brainwave entrainment devices. Actually, I think that we're starting to heal, and my thoughts are about that, and how we will handle a return to some semblance of normality.

And thanks for your thoughtful post.

[rosesaylavee]

8. Sorry - I reread your 2nd paragraph

just now and got a different 'read' from my first scan. But I still hold that we will collectively get there together.

I feel strongly that this is a great place of healing despite the snarky responses and deep despairing rants. The posters in this place are more authentic or more real most days than the people I interact with at work and in the community who seem to spend an inordinate amount of time pretending life is normal or what it was 6 years ago. Its our ability to face the reality - most of the time - and respond with action of some sort whether its calling our reps, organizing a meet-up, or just sharing information - DUers are confronting the evil of our times on many fronts. This is a very strong place.

[scarletwoman]

5. Oops, sorry for the double post. But maybe it bore repeating?

:D

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Synchronicities abound. My original post is also a double.

And yes, it was worth reading twice.

We need to spend some time together.

Thanks, SW.

[scarletwoman]

9. Call sometime. If you lost the number, pm me.

And thank YOU, JR, for making this post. I am nearly beyond speech at this point. :P

sw

[LeahD]

10. Cool and intelligent heads? We need Kerry and Obama. n/t

[scarletwoman]

11. Kicking you up, jr! (nt)