Shadow Casting

Photo by Marco Bianchetti on Unsplash

I can’t seem to let go of this need for people to stop believing obvious lies. I know people who simply want to believe the lies or they make them up to help themselves feel better about their racism or anger over their country and the whole of western civilization falling apart.

The key thing is that they are living a willful ignorance. They want to believe what they believe and there is nothing I can do about it. I can mention that what they say is not proven or has been proven to be false, but it doesn’t stop them from believing it.

I could go on about them, but what I need to deal with is why I am so triggered.

As a kid I was driven to want fairness and where there wasn’t, I got angry. I’d get into arguments with my mother over any punishment I thought was unjust. I couldn’t let things go if I thought they were wrong.

Even little things that people say, I feel the need to correct. Some think it’s annoying. I just think we should get the facts right.

You can see how crazy making it is for me here in the U.S. now with all this fake news talk and alternative facts nonsense.

It’s not a bad thing that I want justice and facts. But I’m making myself crazy in world that seems to want otherwise.

The thing is, not everyone wants to live in this alternative reality where all news is fake unless they say so and facts are just made up. I would guess most people do not. So why is my focus stuck on those who want to believe the made up, the false narratives that make them feel better?

I’m writing this to figure it out. I can feel the tension and anger rise within me as I think about it. It’s turning my heart to stone. That’s it. Though the anger can be motivating, it can also harden. And some of the anger may be misplaced.

I’m experiencing anger and frustration in my own life. Things feel so up in the air. I just want it all to work out. I just want all of the troubles in this country and world to work out. I want it all to work out so I can get on with my life. But this is my life. Sometimes things are settled and something they’re not. We can always be peaceful, no matter what.  

I think I’ve always wanted things to be the way I want them so I would feel better. Not unlike those who choose to believe lies so they feel better. I’m still tied to the external, the shadows on the wall. They are real in the sense that we may let them guide our behavior instead of letting our inner guidance move us. And since they are shadows we can make them into whatever resonates with us.

It’s time to look within, for me to look within. Others will do what they want. It’s not up to me to tell them what to do or believe.

What I can do is continue to focus on my truth and the truth of Love which is Love is all there is. The rest is shadows on the wall we cast when we get in the way of the light we truly are.