A cartoon
A thought
Humaning in late-stage capitalism is tricky. Do you ever feel like this?
The idea for this cartoon came from a comment from the wise and inspiring Tessa Leon. She said:
“At a retreat with Stephen Bachelor recently (titled ‘How to Engage with a World in Crisis’) I asked him how to decrease my sense of pendulation between hope and despair.
He told me that is unhelpful binary thinking. That those are extreme polarities on a spectrum but not finite destinations.
He suggested the middle way between hope and despair is creativity. That is, living creatively, and finding creative ways to engage with life (death) as it currently presents to us.
I found this immensely helpful to pull myself away from the far edges of despondency or ‘tragic hope’, and play more creatively in the spectrum and gradations in between.”
So, what will you do to calm and find the quiet in the middle? How will you play?
For me, part of the answer is drawing and sharing these cartoons. It allows me to sit quietly with the big hard things. I’d love to hear what works for you.
You can check out Tessa’s work and be inspired by creativity and active hope for building a better future together here: https://www.tessaleon.com.au/
Glimmers and sparks*
My glimmers for today are:
Cool autumn sunlight sparkling on the lake.
Sticky Chai tea - oh my! Isn’t this world incredible that something so delicious can exist?
A good nights sleep with no 2am wakings!
What are your glimmers for today?
From your friend and your small, steadfast companion,
*Drawing Li’l Bean helped me navigate out of a period of depression in 2023. A good friend 13, 595km away, helped, too, through a ritual of swapping daily glimmers via text.
A glimmer is a tiny spark of hope, enthusiasm or joy that lifts your heart. By helping me find three glimmers each day, she gently helped me see the joy and beauty already around me.
I’d like to share this practice with you and invite you to reflect on your glimmers for the day when you read this. Think of Li’l Bean as a reminder to notice the glimmers and sparks in your life. We’d love it if you would like to share your glimmers in the comments.
I love this so much! I think it can be helpful for many Americans this election cycle. Nothing is more emblematic of getting whiplash between hope and despair than the 24/7 news cycle of American politics during an election year. 🤮