June 27, 2018 – I just read a beautiful prayer by Francesca De Grandis on the Witches and Pagans website. In it, she references the fear of extending one's arm to help another human being – which means, I think, the fear that our intentions may be misinterpreted and that the arm which was extended in love might get viciously ripped off at the shoulder! Her prayer is for strength of faith, to remember that Mother-Father God supports us always, no matter what the outcome seems to be.

This concern is especially rampant in these times of political and religious division, exacerbated by an Internet gone out of control - with so many plausible versions of reality that nobody can tell, any more, what is true and what is false. To an old wannabe hippy like myself who used to live in hopeful dreams of a world united in love, it is unbelievable how the most benign expressions of goodwill and acceptance can be met with the most ferocious hatred and condemnation - by people who consider themselves just as reasonable and educated, and just as socially sensitive and spiritual, as I am myself!

For the past five years I have been caretaking my wife, whose medical issues made it necessary for me to retire from all outside activities and spend every day at home with her. As stressful as such duties can be, I have yet been very fortunate in not having to interact with as many people as I used to – no more Religious Right students, no more conservative fellow teachers, no more wedding clients (or their in-laws) who might be intolerant of my simplest beliefs. Neither do I spend my days unable to put down a cell phone; so although I am affected by the Information Age, I am subject to far less stress from it than most people in our society. By choice I have given up manic multi-tasking to concentrate on only a few daily issues which must always be attended to.

That is the positive outcome of my isolation.

The negative outcome is that I have gotten out of practice talking with people! I used to breathe diaphragmatically in order to project my voice to the back wall of a theatre whilst performing Shakespeare, but today I need to speak calmly and reasonably in order to maintain inner tranquility, so that no unguarded emotional outburst of mine might offend the people in front of me – with the result that I am told, over and over again, to speak up; they can't hear me!

It's really rather disorienting, to think that I am speaking perfectly clearly but nobody can understand what I'm saying. That must be how Women's Rights advocates feel when they try to debate Right-To-Lifers who would shut down Planned Parenthood. It must be how Universalists feel when they try to have a conversation with those who believe that God is as intolerant as they are, themselves.

I have always believed in the incredible power of Faith and Love. But today I can no longer deny the unbelievable power of Fear and Hatred. I have always subscribed to the spiritual teaching that Darkness is only the absence of Light, and that all we have to do to banish the Darkness is to Let The Sun Shine In. But I see now that we must do far more than that.

We must continually educate those younger than ourselves, who don't know history and are likely to repeat it.

Because the Darkness keeps coming back.