And the Source of the problem is? Most often myself.

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to blog about tonight. Guy and I worked volunteer crew at the Verizon Amphitheater this evening for the Earth Wind & Fire Show. It benefits the high school band that Reid is in. That's right, Reid is off cavorting at the beach in Hilton Head, while Guy and I run our tooshies off to raise money. Hahaha, I misrepresent. Reid was bummed he isn't old enough to volunteer for these concerts.

So...nothing happened. And suddenly!!!! Nothing else happened.
That's a really old joke. The concert was fabulous, but it didn't provide anything blogworthy. Fail! I must now manipulate all situations so that there is something to write about. Hopefully you snickered a little at that.

Here I am at home watching Star Trek: TNG, eating Lean Cuisine wondering when was the last actual vegetable I consumed...(weird for me, I live on veggies.)

Suddenly! Captain Picard says, "I think we can all agree this poses a grave threat to the Federation, and none of us will feel comfortable until we go to the source, and see for ourselves." And this struck me as a really unusual juxtaposition.
The first part seems like so much that goes on in our collective mentality these days. OMG, Panic, OMG, Panic, Warning Will Robinson!!!! 24 hrs a day it goes on. Does anyone remember when we used to grow up reading Fables and Fairy Tales that had morals to them? Like Chicken Little who always ran around saying the sky was falling? I seriously can't even listen to the news anymore, or talk radio, or political TV. The negativity and outright lies from all sides...while chicken little runs screaming in the background...just too much for my system. I have to acquire my news from mostly the internet, where at least it is silently delivered if nothing else. The stress this kind of Fear and Panic mongering puts on people; it's so damaging constantly having our fight or flight responses on high alert.

Which is where the odd juxtaposition comes it. Look at Picard's next sentence. After the recognition that there might be a threat to the "system," he says something...Reasonable! and Logical! I don't think anyone will be comfortable until we go to the source, and see for ourselves.

I want to practice that better and more regularly. Before I get all worked up, before I get upset, before I overreact, before I add to the Drama of the collective energy of humanity, go check with the source. If the source of the "threat" is a person, go directly to them. If the source is unsubstantiated, investigate. Deliberately slow down my reactions to things.

Interestingly, there is another "Source" we can check with. You can call it God if you wish. Maybe you call it by another Deity's name. Maybe you find the source to be in Nature, or out in the Universe. Maybe you find it deep within yourself.
Whatever you call it, when there is a "threat" that is putting you into high anxiety, and maybe you can't go to the source of the problem itself (I don't think they want us all rushing to the Gulf of Mexico with spongemops creating bigger problems), go to your other Source.

That's my new addition to all the things I'm trying to help myself be healthy, whole and sane. I'm tying a stout rope to my racing thoughts, lashing them securely to my side, and teaching them to heel. Stay with me, little three pounds of grey matter, and we will indeed arrive safely.