Accountability – Day 788

Posted on January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

Watching and Waiting – Photo: L. Weikel

Accountability

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m exhausted. I’m also disillusioned. Disillusioned, but sadly, not surprised. Given a day to reflect on what I watched unfold on my television screen yesterday, I realize that what we witnessed was not a fluke. And the word that haunts me is ‘accountability.’

Sadly, both my reflection on yesterday’s events and monitoring of today’s leads me to the depressing realization that pretty much everything I’ve believed in all my life was a ruse. A fallacy. Accountability is apparently only for suckers; only applicable to people of meager means or those whose lives are so unremarkable as to be unconnected to those who wield power and influence.

I’m sure most of you know exactly what I’m feeling in the pit of my stomach right now simply by reading that one word title of this post. I bet most of you are feeling it too. That’s because most of us believe in there being consequences to our actions. And I am not talking about the potential long-term consequences that undoubtedly exist (I’m looking at you, karma), because I don’t actually doubt the inevitability of those.

No, I’m talking about direct, foreseeable, inescapable consequences to our choices, actions, and behavior. Accountability – being held responsible or answerable – in the present moment.

Stunned

Were you, like me, rendered nearly speechless when the masses of mostly maskless rioters were simply herded out of the Capitol building and allowed to walk away? Did you see anyone being arrested? Did you feel nauseated by the impunity with which these insurrectionists desecrated the House and Senate chambers, sitting in the seats of power with their feet up, rifling through papers, scrolling through laptops in lawmakers’ offices, destroying wooden nameplates, smashing windows and doors, even carting off the Speaker of the House’s lectern?

These acts were conducted without consequence. Sure, some of these people will be tracked down and arrested – eventually. But let’s face it: what we witnessed yesterday was an unprecedented violation of personal and public space by marauders intent upon disrupting the work of our democratic government – and there was essentially no accountability. In fact, it sure looks as though there was aiding and abetting going on by those tasked with the exact opposite. That, my friends, should scare the hell out of all of us.

Not only were the insurrectionists allowed to storm the Capitol with very little resistance, it appears that those who stoked this may get away without being held accountable as well. And the reason this took place in the first place is because there has been a lack of accountability for at least the last four years.

There is a gross disparity in our nation regarding accountability. Compare this activity with what we saw yesterday. We talk a lot about accountability in this country, but it is rarely applied to those in power or in the favor of those who are in power. Is that really what our country has come to stand for?

Failure to hold to account results in emboldened action.

We are in great peril.

Photo: L. Weikel

(T-323)

Watchers – Day 683

Posted on September 25, 2020September 25, 2020 by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

First Watchers – Photo: L. Weikel

Watchers

Yesterday and especially today I began seeing evidence that ‘watchers’ and ‘witnesses’ are arriving on the scene. My sense is that the purpose underlying their presence is at minimum two-fold and quite possibly manifold.

First of all, the couple of small watchers that appeared above me as I sat at on a boulder in the middle of the Tohickon yesterday felt playful. The one on the right appeared to be diving down toward me, sort of emulating a person doing the frog kick of a swimmer doing breaststroke. I don’t know why, but it conveyed to me a message of, “Hey! Don’t stay down. Lighten up! Release your overwhelm into the flow of the creek and play. Know that we’re here. You’re not alone.”

Simply sitting at the creek the way I did and allowing myself to drink in the serenity of that place for half an hour was precious and restorative to my sense of well-being.

Getting Closer – Photo: L. Weikel

Getting Closer

Then we walked tonight and the sense of more beings making a closer inspection was palpable. Not only was I aware of the difference in size and demeanor of tonight’s visitors as compared to yesterday’s, the sense of scrutiny (perhaps both of being scrutinized and being asked to view circumstances with greater attention) was dramatically different.

There’s a lot going on right now. We’re hearing warnings – especially over the past few days – that have not been expressed since the midst of the Civil War, and some would argue, not since the inception of this country.

I do believe we’re being watched to see how we will react to these times of unprecedented choice. Of course there may or many not be interest in whether the grand experiment known as the United States of America will survive now that someone is basically refusing to abide by long-established ‘norms’ of behavior that most people never thought needed to be codified.

Universal Implications

But I get the feeling that the interest goes well beyond interest in the survival of our baby country. It’s the impact our survival as the beacon of ‘free and fair elections,’ of the champion of the ‘rule of law’ and ‘peaceful succession of power,’ will have on the rest of our planet. And the reason this survival issue is of interest to beings that may be viewing from ‘above,’ if you will, is because whether we choose to apply the underlying principles of love, justice, fairness, compassion, and responsibility to each other will literally ripple out into the Universe.

Do we choose our personal freedom to say, do, and be whatever we want without any thought to the way our choices impact others? Or do we recognize a higher octave of freedom? The higher octave that demands that we exercise our freedom to protect and ensure the rights of all?

Choices Matter

Right now, the choices we make have monumental consequences. Our responsibility to ourselves, each other, those with whom we share this planet, the planet herself, and sentient beings existing beyond our usual perceptions is being tested by fire.

They’re watching. We need to watch ourselves.

Scrutiny – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-428)

Personal Revelation – Day 251

Posted on July 21, 2019March 20, 2021 by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

Personal Revelation

I did not take maximum advantage of my Sweat Day – and I’m bummed out about that.

I don’t know what got into me, but I could not sit down and concentrate on much of anything for longer than about five minutes straight. This is extremely uncharacteristic of me. And it was quite distracting and distressing, to be honest.

Unlike many of the breathless weather reports we get in the dead of winter warning of an impending Blizzard-cane (only to have it fizzle), I have to hand it to them: they nailed the call.

When I opened my kitchen door, particularly this afternoon (after the air had had enough time to bake), it was almost as if I’d walked into a room with a blast furnace. I stopped at the creek for a few moments (literally), and barely managed to score a few photos of the rainforest I feel our regular forests transition into when we aren’t looking.

Consequences

The furthest distance I’ve walked since Monday, July 15^th, 2019 (five days ago) was on Wednesday July 17^th, when I walked a whopping .59 miles – and that was simply incidental walking, such as up and down grocery store aisles.

I don’t think the consequences of my sluggishness this week could be more obvious. I was bouncing off the walls today! And yet it was too damn hot to walk. Ooooooh, how frustrating!

Making matters even worse was the fact that I didn’t seem able to concentrate on anything. So for all my wistful intentions yesterday, the fact is, I frittered my Sweat Day away.

Looking Away From the Heat – Photo: L. Weikel

There’s Always Tomorrow

Sad to say, I’ll get another crack at the apple tomorrow. I mean, I’m happy I have another day left of the weekend, but the thought of people having to endure another one of these utterly oppressive days of heat without any meaningful relief is simply awful.

I just ran up into our bedroom to turn the air conditioner on, since I plan to hit the sheets as soon as I publish this post. During the day we try to keep everything off except the one window unit in our living room. We don’t want to be energy hogs. But if we mostly stay in the living room, it’s easy to forget just how truly thick and hot things can get elsewhere. I was surprised at how hard it was to breathe (literally) when I just ran up to our bedroom.

So, again – I’m so grateful for our a/c units.

This is one spate of weather our whole house fan simply would not, could not make bearable.

Hang in there and stay cool my friends.