Going Into What Should Be a TGIF with the Reality that This Might Be As Good as They Get. This Might Be Exactly What It Is. Now What?

To say this week was a wake-up call would be an understatement. It's a Book-of-Job kind-of week, but I'm a little skeptical of the producer and I'm like, "Really, God? I know I'm at the first religious institution in my lifetime, so I would think you'd have somewhat of a larger plan. I mean. These people live for you." 

Um, Nope. 

Typical human, crazy stuff, under the guise of ethics, morality, equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Welcome to the Wizard of Oz, Toto...the moral of the story is...

There's not enough years scheduled ahead to process the insanity that was this past week, but I'm thankful that I believe in free will, individual choice, and the power of actions speaking louder than words.

Earlier this week I had the privilege of listening to Tara Westover as a University speaker, and it was amazing to put a face to the narrative I got from listening to Educated. The story was gripping, mesmerizing, new, and incredulous and I know I'm a better man for reading it. 

I took from her talk, and the week that just was, however, the following question, "Shouldn't we be undoing, restructuring, and revolutionalizing the very systems that are keeping these incredible dysfunctions, hierarchies, and belief systems in place? Hasn't there been enough abuse?"

And I'm thinking of MLK, his leadership, his vision, and I'm thinking about my very own definitions of good and bad in the world, and I'm wondering, "Why did I have to come to a religious facility to realize how evil human beings really are?"

So, I'm in a place of seeking to restore my faith in humanity. I know there is good out there. I see it in K-12 teachers. I see it in my colleagues across the the nation. I just have to figure out what my relationship to it all is. I have one life and I've never been drawn to anything other than happiness, goodness, and joy. 

It is so strange for me to be in such a place of misery. This I must fix. And I'm looking for the moral compass to fix me. I guess I always knew human beings were weak, pathetic creatures. I just didn't know that their movements would work to maneuver me into their ugliness. 

Yuck to the ugliness of the systems that rob people's souls. It is a pretty disgusting business. So, the moral dilemma becomes, "Do I want to be a par to their system any more?"

There is a better world. I've lived it, and I can see it. 

Ah, Friday. What an interesting week delivered upon you.