Times are tense in America right now. We are coming off the two horrific hurricanes that wreaked havoc from Florida to Tennessee. We are facing perhaps the most consequential election in our history. And in the background are the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East, where the conflict is expanding and growing more savage each day. It is indeed challenging in these times to stay positive, to be grounded in what we are for rather than swept up by what we are against. If we are angry and hateful toward people who are angry and hateful, where does that get us?

It is time for what I call proactivism – living from and taking action for the vision of what we are standing for — focusing our energies on what is possible rather than fearing what might happen. Proactivism calls us to root ourselves in love — love for life, love for this world, love for future generations, love for other species, love for the Earth herself — and that’s a different consciousness.

It’s not hard to find love expressing itself, even in our current maelstrom. Just after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas, I was heartbroken. I had just spent a week in Asheville at the beginning of June, and it was such a beautiful, even magical place of green hills, magnificent trees, and charming communities. To think of all that was lost made me quite sad. But then I received a wonderful email from a friend who lives there. Meredith wrote: “For every story of devastation and heartbreak, I can share 10 of love and the Best of Humanity.  It is amazing how a natural disaster can offer us the most beautiful opportunity to understand the power of community.”

This is true in disaster after disaster: people respond with love, compassion, and the desire to help others, even when their own lives are in disarray. People risk their own safety to save others. They offer food and shelter, raise money far and wide. They volunteer to clean up debris for neighbors, help with rebuilding, and give all sorts of assistance to folks they may not even know. Generosity, selflessness, and the power of community emerge in the toughest of times – and nobody asks you about your politics.

It is my hope we can keep this vision of a community of love even as we navigate the last few weeks of this election. The stakes are indeed high, but it does not help to dwell in worry and anxiety. Do whatever you can to express your stand, but do so with love in your heart, remembering that nothing can crush the human spirit, and that even in the darkest times our deep humanity comes through. No matter what the outcome, may love and proactivism be your guide….

With love and gratitude,

Lynne