When on Kodiak Island several years ago with my dear friend and fellow photographer, we enjoyed some wilderness kayaking along the coast. That enjoyment quickly turned to desperation when we became lost, basically one cove began to look like the next and, despite my friend’s extensive hiking experience, what we were seeing was not looking familiar. Yes, we knew there were many bears in the area, maybe the least of our worries! After taking a few deep breaths, and slowing down long enough to think more clearly, we figured out where we were and got back to where we needed to be. But, we had been very definitely, lost!
In the past few weeks I have felt lost with regard to not knowing where we have gotten to as a nation (much less a world). I’ve rarely been one to be anxious or depressed about the news but found myself going back to the internet, refreshing pages, hoping something else might show up that would help me find my way back to a world that, even if it never actually existed, was one I knew we could achieve, one where we all shared the natural, peaceful abundance of life. That was no longer in sight. Replaced by Trump, Project 2025, and the horrors of a warming Planet still everywhere at war.
In the end I listened to our daughter. But first I had to again NOT listen! Only then I realized in ways I had never before seen that 75 years of living had left me with a set of perceptions and biases that were not enabling me to find my way forward. I was lost and most of my past experiences and intuition were of little value. Finally being quiet, taking three deep breaths and listening to her—and others younger than I—allowed me to see not only is there a path ahead but it is one I can share with those who have grown up while I grew older.
Much of the world I grew up in, where I learned about life, is either no longer or has changed beyond recognition—perhaps that is part of the reason I felt lost! But much of what I have learned about life still helps me navigate and is essential to my finding a way forward. And, I believe, may still be useful to others as together we move forward into their world. As my friend Bill Schubart wrote today in his blog: “If we can see ourselves as we truly are at various stages in our lives and know our peaks and valleys, we can then best serve our families and communities. We must know when to step down. Life is not about clinging to power but knowing when to acquiesce to the natural aging process and making room for new leaders and new ideas.”
Still Learning To See 