better angels

I took a trip up north not long ago and I've gotta tell you! I'm not a judgmental kind of guy but it was hard not to notice that once I got off the Keys and on the mainland, most everybody was in a really bad mood. The further north I went, the crankier they got and I figured if I got as far as Jersey, the "crank-o-meter" would bust off the scale. You've got to be careful too, 'cause that cranky stuff's contagious. By the time I got the 23rd road-rage finger flipped at me for not driving fast enough, even I was muttering and growlin' under my breath.

I know, generally speaking, things really suck these days in "the land of the free". . .
. . .a lousy economy, not enough jobs, people loosing homes and healthcare, 2 never ending wars and a 3rd on the way, a 24/7 media frenzy of fear mongering and an adolescent political system that can't get out of it's own way and, has reduced "the American people" to a cliché. I can understand feeling frustrated and disenfranchised but hell, I didn't do it to you and you didn't do it to me so why are we flippin' each other the bird? I mean, face the reality, it's THEM (banksters, lawyers, lobbyists, pundits, preachers and politicians) against US (we the people).

Now, lately it looks like THEY are pretty much gonna do whatever THEY want for a while and there's not much WE can do about it. But WE can decide not to buy in to the mayhem because what WE have is EACH OTHER and, there are quite a few more of US than there are of THEM. Whatever stresses are bearing down on our respective lives, it's about time WE lived respectful lives. It's about time WE stopped flipping each other the bird and dusted off our Better Angels.

Think about it.. .
Every life that has ever lived, is alive now or will ever live, dances on the end of the same four strings pulled by the cosmic puppeteer.
Pain, Pleasure, Peace and Passing are experiences common to all our lives. (I'd include THEM in the equation but they're just in total denial)

We all know what it's like to be hurt, to feel really really good, to be comfortably content and, face it, none of us are gettin' out of this life alive. It sounds like WE have a damned lot in common, aye?
(and did I mention that WE all breath the same air)

Accepting that, as I hope you might, how can any of US not feel and express Compassion for someone's pain or passing? How can any of US not feel and express Happiness for someone's pleasure or peace?
After all, the feelings and expressions WE offer, are the feelings and expressions WE receive in return.

But too many of US are wearing a big old heavy coat to keep separate and seemingly safe from the rest of US. The pockets are stuffed with bloated ego, unfounded fears and senseless desires. It's buttoned up snug as a bug and no one else is gettin' in there. The shame of it is, no one else can see the Better Angels hidden away inside.

Those folks need to take a lesson from most of US here in the Keys where, it's just too damned hot to wear that big old heavy coat and all our Better Angels are out and about and
gettin' along.