Cartoon © Jean Burman 2011
We “create” the world we live in… we get to choose.
Nothing is real. Just perceived.
How wonderful that is when you realise.
A giant asteroid is hurtling toward earth.
The 2005 YU55 asteroid will pass within 200,000 kilometres of the earth on Tuesday.
That’s TODAY.
Am I worried?
No.
What will be will be.
Tomorrow… the greater world… the world OUT THERE… will go on as usual.
Politicians will be politicking. Scientists will be pontificating. World Leaders will be waffling.
I have no say in that world.
But in MY little world I get to steer the ship.
I am the captain of my dreams and the architect of my world.
I answer the call to arms when needed. But I don’t have to take it in.
I can take it on board. Or I can let it slide.
In MY little world… I get to be selective. I can choose my world experience.
And even though the situation may be set…
my reactions are fully customisable!
How 21st century is that? (((chuckles)))
I have the last say on what I eat for breakfast [and how well that makes me feel]… I can choose to be healthy and happy. I can choose to live life honestly from the bottom of my heart. And I can accept that not everyone else in the world will do the same. I can acknowledge the hopelessness and not take it onboard… but allow it to empower me instead. I can do what I can to the best of my ability… but accept my capacity as well.
In my little world I can do anything.
I can choose to notice things. I can stop. I can look. I can listen [and what's more]… I can hear. I can learn. I can remember. I can feel sadness… and embrace difficulty. I can care. I can worry for the world. But it won’t own me!
Today I can try to make a difference.
If only in my little world.
Today I will paint… write… [maybe shoot some film]… call a friend… breathe in the sweetness of the early morning air… take note of the sky and the clouds… and sit out on my deck and enjoy a coffee. And as I savour the sweet warmth of its aroma I will think of the people who grew it… and picked it… and roasted it… and sent it out into the world to be enjoyed. The Maloberti family have been growing the best coffee in the world here for years. Every day they get to do what they do best… and produce brilliant coffee for the enjoyment of people like me.
They are making a difference in their little world.
And therefore making an impact on the world at large.
Just think what would happen if everyone everywhere lived ever present in their own little world?
Just think what would happen if everyone everywhere took care of their own backyard.
And lived there… fully functioning. Fully caring. Fully present. And participating.
Just think what OUR BIG WORLD would look like then!
Wouldn’t it make a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE?
Well… wouldn’t it?
There are no asteroids in my little world… just a pebble or two in my shoe.
And I can fix that.
So can you.
I am lucky.
So are you.
Let’s do it!
PS. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE
OTHERWISE: LEAVE A NOTE [grin]
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the cartoon!
Thanks John
Hi Jean,
Lovely cartoon and thoughts. Seems like you have been doing a little Imagining…..which is a good thing. Aside from that, we each have our own little worlds where we can create & play. Imagine if all our little worlds collided and we ALL created and played a bit, together.
be good to yourself
David
Thanks David
I suspect that trying to get all the world’s creative folk together in the one room would be something akin to herding cats… but yes… in a perfect world… just imagine LOL
The world seriously needs to get together on a number of urgent things though… integrity and ethics for starters. I watched in horror on Foreign Correspondent last night as the story of India’s asbestos revolution unfolded. I had only just written this post about not taking on board that which we can do nothing about… and then along comes a story that you simply can’t shut out. The David Suzuki Foundation had alerted the world on Facebook yesterday as Canada is a key player in the supply of the stuff… and then last night there was this story. So hard to stay uninvolved. Much as I wish I could. But alas I feel a blog article coming on… [grin]
Thanks for stopping to take a look and taking the time to comment
Happy to do so
There is so much to agonize over…lovely sentiments Jean.
Hi Nancy
so great to see you! There is so much to agonise over isn’t there? But we can’t. We just can’t. Because we have no hope of overcoming it all. But you and me both are pretty lucky really. We artists get to have our say in a creative way. And that does make a difference in the world… even if not everyone sees it like we do. We’re doing it. And by doing it we’re making a difference. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to say 
Yes, we are the captain of our ship in our own little world. This post was right up my alley. Loved every word of it. And of course the cartoon, too.
Thank you so much Galen
your concurrence means a lot.
Cute cartoon Jean, and truer words were never spoken. The words “do unto others” has great meaning here. If only everyone would clean up his own back yard–then NOT dump the garbage in the street, we’d be a heap better off.
Thanks Anita
I LOVE that line… it’s so poetic “if only everyone would clean up his own back yard – then not dump the garbage in the street – we’d be a HEAP better off” When I read that line my mind went straight to the gyre and the GPGD swirling out there in the North Pacific. I wonder how it’s going… if any country has decided to own it… and whether things have improved any. Must check into it [grin] Thanks again Anita… always so happy to hear from you