I woke to a symphony of songbirds performing outside my bedroom wall.  When I looked through the window, the sky was clear blue.  Across the street is a forest preserve that welcomes me onto its shady pathways whenever I choose to enter.  A canopy of mature hardwoods arches over a woodsy wonderland.  The trail ends at a meadow bursting with color. Daisies, black-eyed susans, queen anne’s lace.  I can name so few of the many flowers gracing the hilltop shimmering in the sunshine.  All this and more inspired a spontaneous Facebook post about being joyful.  And then I saw the news - another video on the situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

       Crude oil is pouring into once blue waters.  Corporate greed coupled with consumer ignorance created a catastrophe.  People’s livelihoods, living conditions and lifestyles have been laid waste.   Animals drenched in oil are dying.  An entire ecosystem is failing.  Fingers are being pointed.  People are angry.  People are sad.  Rightfully so.

       Are you standing with the outraged? It is solid ground for who advocates the right of an international corporation to disregard basic standards of safety in order to maximize profits?  I refuse to join the camp calling for consumers to claim their culpability.  I want safe bike paths and public buses that run on time.  I didn’t sign up for this mess. Yet, I am surely mourning it.  Sometimes I think collectively we’ve been sleeping.  Living not fully awake seems to be the only logical explanation for behaving as though there's no need to revere our earthly home.

      Lately though, I confess I've dreaming.  In my dreams I imagine a master plan formed from a picture much larger than I can see.  I am at most a fleck of light in this infinite tapestry.  Yet, if I claim that speck of cosmic energy as mine and become angry or upset, have negative feelings or emotional eruptions, am I adding dark spaces to a colorful picture?  Would my contribution to the master plan (whether perceived as a perfect picture or a stunning symphony) be off color or out of tune with the harmony being created on the other side?

      The other side of what, some readers may wonder.  And I’d answer with a smile as I try to explain how I believe that this physical world we’re living in is only our imaginary home.  The real world is an invisible arena.  It’s the eternal reality, the one waiting for us when we leave this classroom called life.  Some call it heaven.  The fate of the earth is determined there.  In my imagination I hold onto an image of a more perfect reality that could be created here.  It will reflect the beauty, peace, compassion and love of the other side. If we’re living through the cacophony of individual musicians tuning up in preparation for the great concerto, have faith that they will produce a masterpiece.  Have faith that all is not lost.  Know better times are coming like you know the noise before the symphony is preparation for the well-rehearsed performance.  Know this and take a walk in the woods.