Why now?

Life feels very calm inside my condo this morning. Everything is put away, all my morning chores are done; I know what I'm having for dinner. Nothing to worry about, no clutter to disturb my peace of mind. A cup of tea and a good book await.

But outside my windows the world, with its sturm und drang, is clamoring to get in. Haiti and Cuba are in turmoil, Covid is raising its ugly head across the south and midwest as the benefits of the vaccine are shunned, while nations around the globe are begging for it. Wildfires are already spreading across the west and rain is nowhere in sight. In D.C. the Texas Dems are trying to convince our legislators that the loss of voter rights is more real than voter fraud, and the Guardian reports new documents claiming Putin authorized support of Trump's 2016 election because "it will create social unrest." Gee, he got that right.

In a podcast interview this morning I heard the question "what period of history would you most like to live in?" The interviewee and I responded in unison: Now. Considering the dichotomy I've just described my immediate, unthinking response forced me to consider why? Why now? Why not 12000–6000 B.C, a period I'm perennially curious about? Why not the Renaissance? Or the height of Greek civilization? Or early America? What compels me to say Now?

I'm not sure I have an answer, at least not one I can intelligently support. Instead, I have months and years of gut feelings; that the world is at a critical turning point, one that will either magnify the goodness that exists in billions of hearts, or see the eventual death of the planet and thus humanity. Every day we come closer to that decision point, and every day I continue to believe that goodness will prevail. I could be wrong of course, there are plenty of reasons to think so. But I don't think I'm wrong.

The geraniums on my porch keep blooming, the trees keep providing shade, and the hummingbirds continue to visit. I let my heart fill with gratitude that I am here to witness it all. Life is nothing but a collection of impressions, one split second of now sliding into another and carrying with it whatever love or hurt life sees fit to grant us. We must do what we can to halt persistent evil, but never let its threat stop us from loving the life we have. Now is an exciting time to be alive.