By: Amanda Holstien
Life is not linear. Stay with me. Life appears to be linear because there seems to be some progression of time. We age. Time marches on. But this perception of time is limited to our individual experiences. Remember: the universe is infinite. Close your eyes and take a deep breath right now and remind yourself: "The Universe is Infinite."
Or don't. Whatever you want.
A lot of people are upset about Trump. A lot of people think it's a step backwards. Trump getting elected is not a step backwards: It's a step to the side. Out of the line. Out of our narrow perception of what we thought was possible. "What do you mean there's not a linear progression of things? What do you mean things didn't go the way I hoped?"
Historically speaking, there has never been a linear progression of things towards a greater good. History is filled with fluctuations and responses to previous infinitely complex circumstances. Yes, currently, hate appears to be on the rise and probably actually is in some areas. Hate and fear seemingly loom everywhere (especially outside of my beautiful bubble of NYC). Perhaps, though, rather than allowing fear and hate to loom around, we should take the extra moment to combat that hate and fear by choosing to be kind to people instead. That's what I've decided to do: to be kind. Being kind is a daily, moment to moment choice. In all your interactions with people, don't let your neurosis and baggage dictate your interactions: chose to be kind to people instead. If you're kind and someone isn't kind back, let it go. Spread kindness.
And pay attention. To what is going on, on a large scale, as well as on an individual basis. Pay attention to what is being fed to you: Kendall Jenner, Syrian Refugees, Brad and Angelina broke up, the Great Barrier Reef is Dead. While the end of the world is looming, take a moment and separate yourself from it. Take a deep breath and take great comfort in knowing everything has always been fucked. After you've taken that deep breath, ask yourself what you can do on an individual basis. Maybe you choose to stop clicking on links about celebrity. Maybe you pick up a book with substance, you know the ones. Maybe you actively speak out against hate. Maybe you "like" someones post because you know they'd appreciate it.
Anyway, in summation or whatever: 1) There is no linear progression of things because the universe is infinite, therefore it is not bound to our limited projection of time 2) be kind and 3) pay attention. Namaste or go fuck yourself, whatever brings you peace.