By now you are realizing this is an existential challenge as much as a medical one. Mother Nature has given us a massive time-out (and cleared the polluted air and the rivers in a huge middle finger show of her power) and we must listen. Are you grappling?
You were born into this time for a reason.
Inequity widening, suffering spreading. Who do you want to be through this? Who do you want to be after?
I recently learned of the Tall Poppy Syndrome from Australia. It is also called the Law of Jante in Denmark or the pull-down crab mentality in the US. This mindset refers to the cultural rejection (sabotage even) of specialness, uniqueness, non-conformity. Difference is bad, sameness (be a sheep) is good. Ever see a bucket of crabs, and how they pull-down the ones trying to crawl out? There you go. WTF?
I am here to say – we need our Tall AF Sequoia Poppies right now! We need the non-conformers, the helpers, the leaders, the imagineers, the disrupters, the creators, the different, the extra-ordinary, the ones in the back of the room with the idea or opinion. The ones swimming against the current.
And let me be clear lest you misunderstand – I am not calling for jerks, assholes, exploiters, or narcissists. I am calling for the special ones – YOU. The uncut diamonds. The hidden Buddhas. The fighters for the weak. The ones who were told to stop shining, know your place, don’t get too big for your britches. BS. Those with great power have great responsibility. BE BIG. BE TALL. SHINE. Use your weird and magical and wonderful and unique and special talents and get to work! It’s time to change the matrix baby – Mother Nature is calling.
Ten years ago, I was accused of murder.
True story. Turned out to be poorly executed insurance fraud. But for many days my imagination grappled with the possible loss of everything – my finances, my freedom, truth. Existential guerrilla warfare. And then one day, while sprawled on the couch in a depression, it dawned on me like the breathe of a new life: I’ll always be ok. If all of my possessions, savings, freedom is taken – I’ll still be ok because they can NEVER TAKE AWAY MY MIND / ME. Who I am is more than things, money, titles, and good looks ;-). I will always bounce back. Victor Frankl figured it out. Nelson Mandela figured it out. RBG figured it out. None of the outside superficial materialistic stuff matters – they want you to believe it matters to keep you in the bucket! – because you always have you: your mind, your thoughts, your self-belief!
Vote. Donate. Volunteer. Help. Change your life. Live. Be better. Do better. Love More. Get out of the bucket –Now.
I am grappling too. Letting go of the false hopes, the fear, the jail in my mind with the wide open doors and windows – and climb high. I’m doing the work.
Are you? Change is here. Grab it. Or are you still attached to things, title, power, money, good looks, hate? Approval, authority, rules you had no part in setting up? Are you still in the small poppy field clinging to the wizard who won’t save you? Do you believe?
I hope my twelve nieces and nephews grow up to be Tall AF Sequoia Poppies – especially given the world we are leaving them. I plan to double my Auntie Miracle Grow doses of power, belonging, visibilizing, solidarity, mattering, fearlessness, courage, risk-taking, yes and, efficacy, hope, curiosity, resilience, and love. Giant, viewable from space, world record breaking, Tall AF Sequoia Poppies. Get busy – crush the bucket.