Yes, we all know that the list of grievances is long and loud. In some circles (college campuses and jammed freeways) it’s a deafening cacophony of fury. And no wonder. The world’s a mess and it’s easy to believe that we’re heading quickly towards global anarchy, armageddon or both. The current state of affairs reminds me of The Great War of 1914-18 (WWI), when what was thought would be a quick skirmish turned into prolonged industrial killing on an global scale and a near-total reconfiguration of national boundaries and alliances. And then WWII soon followed. Sound familiar?
Justifiably, we’re all climbing the Wall of Worry. But worry won’t solve those nettlesome issues and it will only worsen the angst coursing through our central nervous systems…which have been on high-alert for a long time. No wonder we’re all agitated and trigger-happy. Angry at the world, our circumstances, and each other. Ughh.
The problem, of course, is not the thorny issues big and small all around us, but rather, it’s our response to them. There are ALWAYS issues capable of causing us stress and worry — there always have been. The world has ALWAYS been complicated and messy and full of stress-inducing events that provoke anxiety and worry. Some we can control — most we cannot.
But, alas, we worry. Worry, worry, worry. We know that we’re not supposed to (Jesus said so countless times) but worrying is easy and sometimes even fashionable. It’s also contagious. And we really can’t tell ourselves to NOT worry, because we’ll likely worry that we’ll forget or somehow get it wrong. It’s like telling a golfer not to hit his ball in the pond in front of the green. Guaranteed splash.
No, the solution is to abandon. Let go. Surrender. Huh? Abandon WORRY?!? It’s the one thing I’m really good at!!! Yes, abandon worry. Why?
Two reasons: One, because my worrying solves nothing. Two, more importantly, because it means I don’t trust God. My worrying means that I don’t think God can handle whatever is ailing me or the world. That’s a harsh indictment, but it’s the truth. My only remedy is to abandon my worry. Daily. It’s never one-and-done. At least for me. It’s got to be a daily exercise. Abandon. Let go. Surrender. I like the term abandon because it means I’ve left it behind. No going back. No residual claims or rights of ownership. Tough to do, especially in our noisy world. But it’s ultimately my choice.
And it’s not impossible. Animals certainly don’t seem to worry. Here in San Francisco, the resident sea lions have never been happier. Evidently, the massive amount of anchovies in the local waters is so abundant that local sea lions have invited friends both near and far. So many have descended on San Franciso that there’s outright housing crisis on Pier 39 — THE preferred neighborhood for any honorable sea lion. Just look at the photo below. Not a care in the world in the over-crowed sea of sea lions. Of course, they’ve been feasting on a bumper crop of anchovies (some will obviously next be feasting on Ozempic). I don’t think sea lions worry about much, especially their next meal.
They could choose to worry about Ukraine, Gaza, or climate change, but they somehow know that worrying wouldn’t do much of anything. So why bother? They trust that their meals will be provided and even their accommodations, crowded as they may be. But they don’t seem to mind. Or maybe they’re just putting on a good show. Either way, it’s something I can learn from.
Meanwhile, please drop by my new initiative: http://www.MacondrayHill.com and let me know your thoughts. It’s a great time to be alive.
Peace & grace – Gil
The Whether Vein 
There’s an old Chinese proverb that goes like this: “If your problem has a solution, why worry. If your problem has no solution, why worry.” The sea lions in San Francisco Bay know this apparently, accepting life on life’s terms. More and more I find I have to turn, as you did, to the natural world for solace. It does my heart good tonight to see an animal thriving, as well as the local anchovy population! Really, thank you.