Today’s guest post is from my friend and fellow traveller, Michael Moilanen. I’ve never had a superficial conversation with Michael and my life is better for knowing him. He thinks deeply and broadly, and is a man committed to speaking honestly. Michael lives in San Antonio, TX with his wife Kayla and their two kids Audrey and Ethan.

Sometimes, trying to grasp some semblance of perspective from the cacophony of voices and scenarios…it’s overwhelming. Every day the goal post moves. This needs to happen, that should’ve happened, we can’t sustain this, we have to sustain this, of course we’ll be ok…everything’s not gonna be ok…ARE YOU OK?

So how does one make their world smaller, at the same realizing we are but a part of the collective whole? How do I make decisions that are best for me, my family, my way of life, and yet…somehow take into account the numerous reasons, people, places that could be adversely affected by those decisions?

Understand this one thing: it’s unlikely you’re going to understand everything. And be wise enough to know this: they don’t understand everything either. Everyone is voicing their opinion. Some guesses are definitely more educated than others, yes. At the end of the day, however, unprecedented means exactly that. There is no precedent.

“Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, fools go aimlessly hither and thither, like blind led by the blind.”
-Kathaka Upanishad, ancient Sanskrit (between 800 and 500 BC)

“…If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
-Matthew 15:13-14

Trying to remain non-dual in times like these is near impossible. Almost every form of information is tainted with fear and uncertainty. My daily practice is to try these two tasks: 1) establish my priorities, and 2) make my world smaller. Now, task number two almost seems laughable currently. Life HAS made my world smaller! I can’t go anywhere. My only window to the outside world is the news, social media, Amazon packages! No problem there!

But is it really?

Making your world smaller means so much more. It’s burrowing into your present and allowing some of the larger things to fade away. Take the above photo. It was taken yesterday morning. I moved into this house almost seven months ago, and my favorite thing by far is how light is allowed to move through the backyard. I love morning light. It’s just a simple photo of a simple setting…and it brings me good feelings.

And just like that, we are talking about a photo. Nothing else.

Make time for yourself today, if not every day, to slip into these types of moments. One of my favorite song titles in the world is from a band called Dreams We’ve Had. The song is, “You can always kill yourself tomorrow.” Sounds morbid, right?! For me, it’s a reminder of a truth; that you can always kill yourself…TOMORROW. A wise man once stated, tomorrow has enough troubles of its own. We can worry about anything and everything, but worries have never accomplished anything. They are fear-based responses to the fact you are not in control. And worry is always future-tense. Have you ever worried about something that is actually happening? No. It’s always about what could happen.

So, focus on what’s ahead of you, what you need to accomplish today. Tomorrow will inevitably arrive, with all it’s… ‘ness …as we like to say in my family. Should the worst arrive, we can kill ourselves then. But, if we find a way to live and remain present today, then just maybe we can stave off the impending doom…

until tomorrow.