From Nomon Tim 

Wow, what troubling and turbulent times we're living in. Probably people have said this periodically (or constantly?) since human society began, but it does feel very true now.

How are you doing? Are you choosing to read the news or not? What are you feeling? Are there ways of responding that feel positive at all? Or is it all just overwhelming (fair enough, if so).

Perhaps the stress of it all in the background is affecting your attitudes or behavior in unexpected ways - finding yourself more impatient or grumpier than usual? 

I was choosing to avoid the news until the news came to me directly from my family.

Many of you know about my Kenyan daughter, Mercy Ukumu. She was here visiting last May with her new baby who just turned 1! She was able to come to Raizelah and my wedding too which was so wonderful.

I've been connected to Mercy since she was 13 years old when my first wife and I had the opportunity to sponsor her to go a residential boarding school to help her as an orphaned girl to get out of the village and get a good education.

Now Mercy's a grown woman working in service of her communities in Kenya. She works for the international NGO Save the Children. She helps to coordinate aid projects in rural Kenya with the mission of making sure local people are directly involved in working on and implementing the building of  schools, opening the clinics, and drilling the wells. When locals are more fully included everything works out better for many reasons.

My grandson Berwin on his 1st birthday.

And then a few days ago Mercy was sending me photos from her son's first birthday on WhatsApp (so cute!) and then shared that her agency had been shut down by the Trump Administration's sudden executive order to freeze all federal funding. Save the Children is largely funded by USAID.

To her credit she wrote that she's not so worried about her job (which is amazing as even with a professional salary, she can just barely make ends meet), but about the well-being of the communities, and especially the children, they serve.

The news of this crazy world came to me whether I wanted to face it or not.

Since then I've been again watching what's happening in Washington D.C., but with a deeper appreciation for how what happens there affects the whole world and can affect us right here in Bellingham. Even Meals on Wheels was threatened by the funding freeze!

While I haven't forgotten that serious political work also needs to be part of my response somehow - I just don't know how yet, I've also been recommitting myself personally to compassion and kindness. That idea that true peace starts at home is also true.

When I'm reactive or judgmental of others, I've seen again and again, I end up being unhelpful, and even harmful, in how I respond when I'm under the sway of negativity. I don't think so at the time, of course. I think I'm right and they're wrong and I'm showing them the error of their ways.

It takes me a while each time to wake up to this, but I'm practicing with it. Practicing turning these situations over in my mind, feeling into my heart, and trying to wonder what's really happening. Where's the energy of reactivity coming from? Are there parts of the situation that are actually mine?

Eventually it shifts, my heart opens and some degree of wisdom emerges. I move from proving my point to "how can I help?" Can I can help in a way that honors and supports all involved? Can I bring some understanding to bear? Even when people behave poorly it made sense to them at the time. Can I move past condemnation to cooperation? 

The wonderful thing is how Buddha Nature seems to work. When compassion and wisdom emerge it's not a chore to show up in this way. It can be delicate and can be tricky, but it's joyful. It feels so much better when we release from that dark internal aggression about how whatever so-and-so is doing into the light of kindness.

This takes a while! I have to go through lots of thought loops, judgements and a bit complaining before I get there it seems. And unfortunately a grumpy email often slips out. (And no, I'm not going to share my journal with you!)

There are so many ways we help this world. And let's not neglect care in how we take care of ourselves and each other. That's crucial activism too.

I know many are actively taking a fresh look at volunteering in the community - great idea!

I do think the energy we put into caring for our sangha - our practice community - is a rich and important response to the suffering in the world too.

And our American dollars do still go far in the developing world - check out one opportunity (of so many) to donate to help others in the Sangha to Sangha section below.

How is for you? I'd love to hear how you're doing. What are your ideas for making a positive difference?

With love and a deep bow,
Nomon Tim

p.s. I was grateful that federal funding freeze was reversed by a judge the next day. Mercy's service work will continue...for now at least.