Pass It On
December 2, 2024
November was quite a month, eh? An election in the USA, a continuation of global challenges, a climate event (or two or three) and so much more.
If you head to Wikipedia the site will give you an entire page of events that happened just within in the month of November. It includes armed conflicts, attacks, disasters, political elections, economic news, crime, health concerns, etc. Ugh, sigh, boo and so much more.
It is hard to keep things in perspective. It is hard to stay awake amidst it all. And yet, what is the option if we want to be humane, human beings on this planet at this time?
Coming home through the Denver International Airport from my week working in Chicago and then Tulsa (from soup to nuts), I saw this set of departure screens.
Yowza. Overwhelming. Thank you, air traffic controllers, everywhere. The whole of the USA from Albany to Anchorage is on these screens. Boise to Boston. San Diego to Fresno. And everywhere in between. On a Thursday night in November – 3 weeks after our presidential election. Red and blue parts of the country – all in that one airport. Folks trying to make it to these cities to go to work, to go home, to rest, and to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. The big experiment of the USA on a set of screens. How are we going to do this moving forward? What do we need to do to stay humane human beings with one another?
Directly in front of me as I continued down the terminal was this billboard from Pass It On.
If we do the right thing, for those right in front of us, in this moment, with as much grace and consciousness as we can, we can make a difference from where we stand. We have to believe and live into our future with the understanding that big things come from small actions.
Might we:
- Give someone the right of way on the road?
- Let the person, who has fewer items in their cart, ahead of us at the grocery store?
- Push in our chair to let someone pass more easily?
- Send that note of thanks for those who have made our lives easier?
- Say good morning and smile to someone who we walk past?
- Check in with a friend who is going through something and ask what you can do to help?
- Keep the door open for the person behind you?
- Throw away your trash and someone else’s if you see it?
I am fully aware that these actions won’t solve the climate challenge, nor will they end the global conflicts in our world or the polarization in this country. So, please also do what you can do assist on the big stage too.
Yet, if we do what is in our locus of control and of influence it will make our days fuller, our minds clearer, our hearts more open and for those with whom we interact we hope a bit more at peace. The happiest of all winter holidays to you. Cheers.
Questions, comments, or suggestions? Feel free to email me at jennifer@jenniferabrams.com.
Cool Resources
Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance – “Worried about the state of the republic? Get the legal knowledge & analysis you need to be an advocate for democracy, along with a dose of savvy optimism.”
The Red Hand Files with Nick Cave – “Over the years, The Red Hand Files has burst the boundaries of its original concept to become a strange exercise in communal vulnerability and transparency. Hundreds of letters come in each week, asking an extraordinarily diverse array of questions, from the playful to the profound, the deeply personal to the flat-out nutty. I read them all and try my best to answer a question each week.”
Letters from an American with Heather Cox Richardson – “A newsletter about the history behind today’s politics.”
The Examined Family with Courtney Martin – “Figuring out how to be and raise ethical, joyful humans in beautiful, horrible times.”
