Amid these particular times of personal, societal and global challenges being posed by Covid-19, political instability, racial harm, climate change, economic uncertainty, we may find ourselves somewhere in between doing all we can to manage, and feeling helplessness and lack of control. 

It’s a lot to bear – I hope you are all taking some time to turn inwards to tend to the inevitable strains and stresses it places on our bodies, hearts and minds. But at the same time, there is a resounding call for reflection and action, much that needs to be done. 

I think of a different way to consider hope – because “Nothing matters, and yet everything matters”:

(1) Nothing matters – When we are subject to the vagaries of the uncontrollable, there can be a certain freedom and relief in the humble acknowledgement of our insignificance. We are simply a little cog in a massive machine of the universe, in time and space. In as much as we may feel despondent that we cannot fix the world, we might feel hopeful that we cannot ruin it.

Truth is, there is a severe limit to what we can do about the things that most worry us – the political, social and environment issues long precede our existence on this earth… and for all our upmost care and self-protection we cannot guarantee that we or our loved ones will not fall sick with Covid-19. And guess what, if not Covid-19, then some other illness or accident might be lying in wait.

But in facing the truth of the way things are… might we then be led to ask more beneficial questions instead – for example, if released from unreasonable expectations of control, what might be then be possible? When we no longer expend energy on what or who we cannot possibly fix or control, or on the raging against systems and institutions that have let us down, what can we do with the desire to protect and care and help?

(2) Everything matters – And so we turn towards hope. Exactly because the world runs on little cogs and the vast expanse of time is strung together by individual moments, each cog, every moment can and does matter. In every moment, in each action, even in one thought, is the seed of possibility, of the world we wish to inhabit. And so in this ‘now’ that is all we have, we also have agency, dignity and promise. 

What this means is that we can face the world as it is, with an open heart that feels the pain, but with resilience and realism – I may not be able to do much, but what I can, I will. Without overwhelm, without overreach, with patience and confidence. Remembering much and how long it took to ravage the earth, embed societal inequalities, ignore the downtrodden, rig the systems, sow fear and distrust, also knowing that every step I take leads further down or away from those same paths. And so I look down and take each step with care – care for myself and for the other, care for these pains in my heart and difficulties that we face, care for the life that I wish to lead and the changes I wish to see. 

“Take Care of the Moments… and the moments will take care of your life” expands to our concerns for the state of the world. Because radical change, our deepest aspirations, the fight for justice and all that matters, they start right here – are you well? Are you in a healthy frame of mind? Are you resourced and resilient to meet your challenges and to help your family and organization and community over the long haul? Are you clear-headed enough to lead and make decisions? Are you able to deal with the fear and anger that stands in your way of effective actions for your cause? Do you have the patience and dedication and compassion enough for the long haul?

With “nothing matters”, we let go of that which weighs us down – illusions of control, non-beneficial rage and stress, the denial of how we got ‘here’. Wisdom, patience and compassion has space to take root. And with “everything matters”, agency, realistic hope and deep commitment grows, allowing for effective action and patient labour towards our desired outcomes.