REALITY CHECK

  Every once in a while, someone must pick up the reins and say whoa. Sometimes the horse has already taken us far away from one's original destination. Sometimes that is a good move. Other times, not so much. These are the days when decisions must be made even though one has no definitive proof favoring one direction versus the other. What one should do at such a moment is to apply one's rear end to a seat, take pen or keyboard in hand and make a list - pros and cons, good or bad, sue me or not. Tote it all up. Add in a dab of emotion. A tad of history. A mite of common sense. And voila, we have reality. We have a basis for a decision.

However, what is the result when all that we add in, stir vigorously into the mixture is based on misinformation. How are we to know, to distinguish, between information true and information false? It is critical that we do so despite all the incoming missiles of war, aimed at the truth, to limit its exposure. Strategies are befouled in a rapid pace, and it is difficult to defend against. 

There are mountains and swamps of information. Some presented as truth. So easy to believe. And other times demand an almost godlike knowledge and massive ability to discern true from false, right from wrong. One's sanity is challenged. The urge is there to simply push it all aside. Bury one's head in the sand. But the reality is we cannot, we must not.   It must be recognized that we have tried that technique numerous times over the millennia of human presence on this planet. It does not work. Sooner or later the piper must get paid, lest he take all the hopes for the future away, dancing to the rhythm of hypnotic notes, forever more never to be seen again.  

 Humanity must accept the reality. And then the decision. Do we like that reality? Do we strive to keep it intact? Or do we dislike that reality? Then struggle to make our way through jungles with entangling branches. Over mountains. Via deep tunnels beneath the earth. Through burning desert. And flooded territory. All to devise a different reality. One more conducive of all that we hope for. Peace. Democracy. Kindness. Empathy. Understanding. Goodness. It's really challenging, and too many have fallen by the wayside during this perilous journey.

All the more tempting to throw our hands up. and say all this-but no more. It is someone else's turn. While that is correct, for someone must always pick up the candle and lead and light the way to journey's end. But before we do hand over the candle, the lantern showing us the correct path forward, we must make sure that we have done all that we could and should, and even more. Left behind a clear directional signal which way to turn and which not? There is a Judaic maxim that he who saves one life, it is as if he saved the world. So too is the converse. He who condemns one, it is as if he condemned the entire world. Wished upon them an ugly, dark, hopeless future, an unhappy reality on crack!

A peek into our reality. We are drowning in misinformation. Perversely sent to lure us off the correct path, to veer towards the evil, dark and hopeless future awaiting us at the end of this road.  To prevent wrong choices, we must accept responsibility for our decisions and their consequences. Did we enable a circle of crazed leaders, greedy for wealth, greedy for power. Caring naught for the people of their nation. For the people of the world, in fact. It is not a butterfly flapping its wings, so much as it is the multiple sounds of "shots heard round the world".

 It is up to us - to choose. Do we take the shots and run quickly into a clear tunnel though its end remains shrouded in darkness? We remain unknowing, uncertain. Is there even an end to it? If so, what is at the end awaiting us? Would it be the beauty, the encouragement of a rainbow or will it be a pot of useless fool's gold. Why do the lights overhead dim at times while the other tunnel's remains steady? Is this a warning? Or is this merely a presentation of truth? That life is difficult. There are perils, and disappointments aplenty. At the end it will be clear to us. When and where and how we struggled and even fell but always returned to stand erect and determined to finish the journey. 

 We are in the midst of our personal journey of life. At times it is not clear. Would you have somehow strayed from one path to the other and then back again? Life is full of uncertainty. We must accept that. Prepare to deal with it and do so in fact, so that when the time comes, we will know we have done the right thing, left behind a legacy for the future.  

 We will have done right for the future, the tomorrows, learned well the lessons of yesterday, and today, and prepared for the tomorrows to come. We will understand that the journey can be long and arduous, but rewards await us along the journey. But.  Who were the proper leaders? Which path was taken?  How much longer within the struggle?  We have children awaiting their journeys. ad must pass on the wisdom of reality to them - Certainly see to it that we recognize the truths of the matter! Then pass it on.

Reality. Life. 

Recognition of truths.  

Spurning the tempting falsehoods. 

We can but try, but dear G-d, we must do better.

Have patience, for we are Your creations.