The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: A Tale of The Human Spirit

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times", read my second-grade teacher aloud, as she turned towards me, glaring sideways over the spectacles on her nose. She was reading from the homework writing assignment I'd handed in. "Are you sure you wrote this?" she asked me. I nodded enthusiastically. I knew I'd written something good because I copied the whole first page from a book I found in my parents' library. That book was, of course, Charles Dickens' classic historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities, but I didn't know that at the time. I was eight years old, and I hungered for approval. I wanted a pat on the back more than anything else. I didn't get praise at home, so I was hoping that my latest effort would impress my teacher. She didn't exactly look impressed, but she wasn't angry, and, with a whimsical grin, she said something about my handwriting being good, so I was somewhat happy with that. As an adult, I have revisited Dickens' famous opening paragraph, from his novel, which was set in the 17th century, and written just after the middle of the 18th century, and found that it applies perfectly to our current era:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Now, as I am nearing my 47th solar return, I marvel at this incredible time of transformation we are going through, which is both painful and liberating. I've never felt more my authentic self than I do today, I've never felt more on the right path, and yet I still don't have a concrete plan for the future. I have more genuine love for myself and for others than I ever had, and yet, in these past years, I've experienced the most profound loneliness I've ever felt. My sense of who I am and my appreciation of what I can do is greater than ever, and yet I've struggled financially for the last 18 months.

And the paradoxes are mirrored from micro to macro; never has there been so much social division, and yet we are more connected as a global civilisation of humanity than ever before. Never has there been so much illness - physical, psychological/mental and emotional, and yet never has there been so much awareness of illness, scientific research and therapeutic support. After decades of inflation, global poverty is on a scale never seen before, and at the same time, there are more female entrepreneurs than ever before. Never has our Earth been as polluted with toxins, and yet never has there been such mass intent to clean up this planet.

We are living through the collapse of the age-old pillars of social authority, such as churches, governments and the media. It's a lot, and it's all at the same time. Our lifestyles are already so different to our parents' generation, that we are really in a different world. We are seeing the implosion of the corrupt money system, which has propagated scarcity of all forms of resources for most humans in most countries. We are seeing previously untouchable subjects such as pharmaceutical malevolence, military funding, and the existence of extraterrestrial life become fair game for a mainstream audience. Fewer people are watching the mainstream news, and fewer are watching prime-time TV. More people are embracing energy independence, natural healthcare, work-life balance, values and purpose above profit, and standing up for the rights of vulnerable groups in society, such as the poor, the sick, animals and those who are racially or sexually discriminated against.

It seems to me that on balance, we are in better times, and I believe that we are headed toward the best of times. But the process is hard, the blockades are high. Lack of resources is still a very real experience for the vast majority of us. Collectively, we've never been here before; we've never been pushed so far out of our comfort zones. I want to thrive, but regularly, I find myself just trying to survive. And then I think of how lucky I am, relative to most humans, to have what I have.

Above all, what I have is help from my community. I regularly receive help from the great people I know, whether it's a word of encouragement, a cup of tea, or a new contact who could open a door for me. I am regularly reminded, I am shown, that humans are essentially good, that we care about each other. Even though there is more than enough evidence that humanity can be bad, I have come to believe that is not our real character.

And I regularly get opportunities to help others, which helps me to feel more connected to my purpose in this world which can be so isolating. I also have an infinite flow of guidance from Source, aka God/Source/Creator/Divine, who has all the wisdom, and guides me to the answers inside of me. It takes work to connect, but it's always worth it.

In conclusion, these are both the best and the worst of times of my life, and it seems the case for humanity collectively. And, we all have each other, and our connection to Source, to get through this. One breath, one thought, one step, one day at a time, we are going to make it. Some days are bad, but things always get better again, and so we keep going, together.