Born At The Right Time
Music always helps me make sense of uncertainty; it has this ability to anchor me back into my why. A why that is usually born from struggle and sustained through joy.
Lately, I have been listening to “Born At the Right Time” by Paul Simon. We can all have different interpretations of lyrics, and lately, this song has reminded me that: we were given life intentionally at exactly the moment the world needed us. Our work is to fulfill this purpose.
It is really easy to lose that purpose when we have so much information, disinformation, and other people’s opinions coming our way. This constant stream of informational access can derail us from the deep knowing we were born with, before the world got its hands on us. This deep knowing is our moral compass — it helps move us forward when life feels uncertain.
As humans, we crave certainty and a clear path forward. This is the illusion of perfection that our capitalist system loves to sell on the heels of our vulnerability. This illusion pulls us apart and pivots the focus towards fighting each other, rather than reimagining the systems that are making us all doubt our worth.
On Tuesday, November 5th, the United States of America will choose its next directional path. We are presented with two paths in an imperfect system. Many feel like both paths have failed them, and crave more alternates to the route of a more perfect union. AND “A more perfect union” implies that the progress of the American experience is never complete. It is an ongoing experiment which was born on dehumanization, oppression, and injustice. This experiment called Democracy has been craving a deep reckoning — a reckoning that will require us all to hold the shadow of history, the accountability of the present, and the hope for a new tomorrow.
A tomorrow which is being written by us. We are holding the pen of the next chapter — a chapter that could set us back or move us forward, a chapter that is requiring each one us to anchor into our deep knowing. A knowing that has the capacity to see through fear, othering, perfection, and the screams of the ego wanting to be “right.” This knowing has the capacity to hold the nuance of the times. It was born at the right time.
A time where we are holding many gut wrenching challenges as a country: extreme division of class and wealth; blatant racial inequality; an attack on public education, and the erasure of history and lived experience; a genocide being funded by US tax dollars; gun violence being the number one cause of death for children; the stripping of reproductive rights and LBGTQ+ rights; the current climate collapse facing us all..
Just reading that last paragraph, sends me into a tail spin and my ego screams, “Burn it ALL down!” Yet, my deep knowing whispers, “You were born at the right time.” Burning it all down will only lead to more destruction, death, and oppression. The most vulnerable in our country will be in the cross fires of our righteous rage. If this American experience is never complete, we have the ability to envision the next path forward.
A path where we can uphold the democracy we are still in the process of reimagining. Where we leverage our power to push towards solutions, and everyone has a seat at the table. Where we work towards a ceasefire, greener energy, an assault weapon ban, a living wage, restore Roe, the list is long and it is possible. Where EVERYONE’S lived experience is heard, and we build relationship across difference. This table was never built on perfection; it started with only white men holding the pen. For 248 years, we have been loosening the grip of that pen. Maybe, just maybe, this election has the capacity to pass the pen, so this next chapter is written by Indigenous folks, People of Color, Women, LBGTQ+ folks, Disabled folks, People of ALL faiths and age.
A table that holds discussions around what we are for, rather than what we are against, where solutions are formed with humanity and planetary health at its core. Will it be perfect? Nope, and that does not mean we can’t work together towards a MORE perfect union, together.
Allowing our deep knowing to anchor into the possibility that we were born at the right time, and this time is calling us to show up for what is possible. We are at the table, we have the pen, will we write the next chapter towards liberation or will we end the book?
Regardless our work will continue.
WE were born at the right time.
