Three Axioms to Live By

Ever since we elected a President whose governing ethos is creating chaos and deflecting responsibility, a persistent uneasiness has settled among many in our land. When I find myself unmoored by the weird world we’ve created, I conjure the three axions that guide my life to provide guidance and ballast. Perhaps they will offer some solace to others who feel adrift.

The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.

There’s ample evidence that, if we take a very, very long view, Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision is true. Compared to ancient ancestors, humans today are less violent and more tolerant. More people lead healthy, equitable lives than ever in recorded history. It’s nice to believe that human progress always moves forward. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Time and again, the steady crawl toward equity and justice is halted, even reversed.

Kinks in the moral arc are almost always attributable to rises in religious fervor and subsequent stifling of education and reason. Back in the 1950’s Afghanistan was comparable to other Middle Eastern nations in its parallel increase in secular freedoms and living standards. Today, it is the poorest nation in Asia, thanks to the Taliban’s cultural clamp. Similarly, the social liberality that the US exhibited from the end of World War II through the 1970’s led to unprecedented civil advances, which are being chiseled away in large part due to repressive doctrines. Still, as anyone with a Charlie Horse can attest, one can also massage away a kink. Simply apply firm and consistent pressure against the knot. We are living in a kink in the arc of justice, but if we stay true to our purpose, we can smooth it out in time.

Be the Change You Want to See

Ghandi’s message is the one that guides my daily life. It’s why I ride a bicycle and take the T; why I work with prisoners and immigrants; why I rachet down the thermostat and put on a sweater; why I’m civically engaged; why I don’t buy meat; why I give money away; why I hang my laundry on the line to dry. At the same time I live mighty comfortably. I don’t live off-grid or prep for some disaster-envisioned future. The change I want to see is a world where everyone is comfortable, yet responsible; sustainable, yet connected in society.

I don’t for a moment believe that my actions influence anyone else’s. One of my housemates cranks up his furnace; the other cooks lots of meat; my children each drive gas-powered trucks. They see how I live, and it doesn’t affect their behavior. I can’t let it bother me. At the end of the day, or the end of my life, I believe the ease with which I leave this world will be directly related to the ease in which I lived in it. I plan to go out calm.

Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway

Susan Jeffers pop-psych book title may not seem appropriate company for the lofty axioms quoted above, but in any given moment, it’s my go-to motto. Fear is a great motivator, but also a great inhibitor. It’s a convenient way for the powers-that-be to immobilize us. I am riddled with fears. (Anyone living in 21st century America who isn’t, is simply not paying attention.) But I refuse to let my fears paralyze me. I am not foolhardy when I cycle through unknown streets or take on fresh projects or embark on new protests. I remain aware of my surroundings and vulnerability. But I don’t let my fears hold me back.

To feel the fear and do it anyway is to be aware, yet courageous still. It empowers me to move beyond comfort. To act in ways I know are right.