Sunday, 1. July 2007, 01:16:24
I remember a time, long long ago, when many people believed that time was 'the end of an age.' There was a pop song, with the words, 'It is the coming of the age of Aquarius.'
Of course it was just a pop culture moon swing. But they were more right than they knew. We have arrived at the end of an age.
This is more than the end of the American Empire. We can all see America - at the top of the heap - and we can see it faltering. Then we say, 'ah ha! The American Empire is about to fall!' Just as Chicken Little shouted, 'the sky is falling!'
In my opinion, it is not the American Empire on the verge of collapse, it is just the end of this age, and because of America's place in this age, we can only see the cracks that are occurring in its foundation, but not the fact that these cracks extend downward into every nation on Earth.
We, as humanity, are in the process of creating a new world. Without a plan, without a leader, in some cases without hope but with faith, we are stepping forward into a new age.
And my friends, it will be a better age than the one we leave behind. The main factor in the old paradigm was our separateness, our individuality, our limited belonging-to-ness. The strength of our foundation was the family, our faith, our education (limited to what our society thought was 'good for us and itself,') our friends (limited to whom we were physically near), the city, our religious and political beliefs, and the culture of the nation that nourished us, via a huge dose of tradition.
But we have eyes to see the world, both from space, and from the viewpoint of millions of others in the world. We have ears to hear and the methods to translate other languages into our own, almost seamlessly. We can talk directly to each other, to people - and groups - who less than 20 years ago - were separated from us by both time and space.
Our actions are creating a love-hate relationship throughout our world.
The bottom line?
Traditions will be broken, and in breaking will break the hearts of millions. Traditionalists will fight the changes, will try to push back the tide. American traditionalists will feel just as much pain as Islamic or Jewish, or indeed, Chinese Communist traditionalists. The old ways are just that. Old ways include wonderful, peaceful, heartwarming traditions. There is no reason to throw them away. They are good.
But the old traditions also channel power, foment distrust, engender competition, corrupt the powerful, and waste limited resources. These traditions will be ended. It will not be an easy birth. But the egg has begun to crack, and the new age will be born.
Rule number 1? Don't be afraid. Step into the light. (I can't run the Opera editing scripts, so look at the link directly)
http://www.outdoor-photos.com/store/photo/1584419.jpg;-D Confusion is that moment between the first and the second step. After than, our direction is clear, and our confidence, assured. This is true whether we are stepping through life alone, or dancing with our partner.
WIDGETIZE