Long ago, before this era of COVID, protest, change, and more change, I wrote a post on this blog about the dwarves in the Chronicles of Narnia series, particularly about them in the last book. (you can find that post HERE) The post was about how, at the end of the story, the dwarves refuse to accept reality, and can only see themselves in a burning building, about to die horribly, when in actuality they had been saved by Aslan, the lion who is pretty much a metaphor for Jesus. Basically, they are blind to being in paradise, and can only see sorrow and anger and strife. And all their friends can't convince them otherwise. It's a sad, strange scene, and it resonated with me deeply when I first read it as a boy.
I think of it now, in these strange times, and it resonates even deeper. I think this moment is testing all of us, rich and poor, in every corner of the world, forcing us to make some decisions about who we are and what we stand for. Are we all connected? Do we value commerce over community? Is it finally time to let justice, true justice, prevail? It really seems to me like we all have to make our stand, to borrow from Stephen King's novel about another virus that leads to a changed world. We are all figuring out what is important, what we believe in, who we wish to follow, or if we want to follow anyone at all. I see so much good in this world. But I also see sorrow, and turmoil, and greed, and either an inability or refusal to accept the universal love that is, as the song went, all around us.
I have seen this on levels large and small. On the street, on the news, online, and even among friends and family. I think fear is the main driver of this. Fear of financial ruin, fear of death, fear of admitting you were wrong on something. It's a strong motivator. But I find that fear pales next to love. Don't get me wrong. Fear can and often does drive people to do tremendous things. It is very powerful, and wired into our brains. But I believe that wired into our souls is love. It's harder to access, in some ways. And requires faith. Not going to church faith, or reading the teachings of past masters. I mean faith as in resolve, as in walking through the storm with your head held high, as in facing impossible odds because you know, deep in your heart, that you are right.
Love leads me to the following: Black Live Matter. COVID is real, and out of love for our fellow human beings, not to mention ourselves, we must take it seriously. Money is a cancer that kills the soul. Science is a boon to us all, a miracle that can create wonders, take us into space, and cure disease. The Earth is precious, bountiful, and wondrous. You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you really do get what you need. And all you need is love.
Here's a song. It's being used on a commercial right now, which is kind of gross, but I like the song a lot. It's Wilco performing Love Is Everywhere.
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