I remember the day that the wind changed direction and the smoke from the fire was so frighteningly strong that it woke me and my lungs ached.

Over the years, as I watched the news about the fires in the Amazon, Uruguay, Brazil and now the fires in Canada with smoke from those fires being carried by the wind to the United States and even Norway, global concerns about life-destroying fires in general and the impact on climate change and on peoples’ lives was, and is, being stoked.

And not just physical fires.

There is a lot of soul-destroying fire happening in today’s world
… leaders and wanna-be leaders whose focus is self-adoration, self-promotion rather than the people … supporters of such leaders who mindlessly follow and don’t stand up to the immorality, lies, dangerous rhetoric and don’t speak up for democracy, justice, compassion … tropical storms and other dangerous weather concerns becoming more and more frequent and stronger … the seemingly never-ending war in Ukraine. The life-destroying and soul-destroying list goes on.

What is the response to these destructive fires? Many no longer read or watch the news because they find it too stressful and their sense of helplessness is reinforced. But, does ignoring the news help reduce the soul-destruction?

If putting a lid on a physical garbage can, filled with festering garbage, only hides the putrid smell, can a similar response happen in putting a lid on an emotional garbage can filled with festering garbage of anger and hatred and fear and resentment and racism and me-me-me-ism?

Tears fall from my eyes and tears cover my heart and my soul as I realize that soul-destroying fires really exist and that lately, they seem to be moving even more quickly. What can I, or others, do?

I find that the tears, the sense of helplessness is diminished by being aware of what is happening, not by ignoring the news … by naming the fears and not letting them fester … by not closing my eyes to the realities … by not stifling conversation about what is happening … by being open to letting Light in, so that healing can begin for this world we inhabit and love.

May every tear shed, every prayer said, every thought expressed, every peaceful protest, every vote count.

May all do what we can to become informed about issues and work to becoming a world of people who listen to the pain beneath the words, who recognize fascism and work for democracy, and who focus on the corporate ‘needs’ of society rather than their individual ‘wants’. It is time to put out the fires that bring body, mind and soul-destruction to people and this planet.

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© June Maffin
https://soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
Image: Yivers (Pixibay – used with permission)
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