There are far more important things to write about than me. Yet every word I write, every thought I think, comes through this lens of me; a lens that skews and distorts, then projects and reflects and ricochets off other words and thoughts until it has been molded and shaped into a version of my truth. The best I can do is to 1) make sure that as many ricochets as possible come off others' words and thoughts and 2) choose my others thoughtfully.

I began this week thinking “woe is me” and I began to write accordingly. But then I noticed that woe is also her, and woe is him, and woe is them, and woe is us; so why would I ever write about “woe is me”? But as I thought about it, and as I said in the paragraph above, every thought I think, and every word I say or write, includes an element of “woe is me”. So I asked myself, “why not succumb? Why not go all out Woe?” And I answered myself: “Because my woe is fairly ordinary; not terribly interesting.”

I cannot escape me. I believe this to be much more of a curse than it will ever be a blessing. The in-laws would agree. But of course what I mean is that each one of the (in-this-moment) 7,684,028,395 individuals in this world should also believe (like I do) that their ego is a big old ugly “web-footed sea bird of the family Diomedeidae that has the ability to remain aloft for long periods;” common name: Albatross.

And according to dictionary.com's definition #3, an albatross is “something burdensome that impedes action or progress.”

We cannot see this because it---the very thing we cannot see---is blocking our view. Forest and trees? Yes. Also trees and forest. And disease and symptoms. And cure and blame. And future and present. And for many, present and past, and future and past.

To work to move past this encumbrance, I must first recognize it as such. We have advanced in our respectful recognition of other egos, but I must go beyond this mere acknowledgement of others who should not be punished because they are different. More than anything, this idea of “inclusion” strengthens the idea that the individual, as reflected and defined from the ego, is the ultimate say-so. This practice of “inclusion” prevents me from working past my own ego partly because I must keep it intact in order to mollify and soothe other egos, thus perpetuating a cycle. Don't misunderstand; this idea of “inclusion” is an improvement over the divisive injustice that has been the standard practice for the entire recorded history of Humanity. But, this idea of “inclusion” will never lead me to the darkest reaches of my ego. This idea of “inclusion” will never allow me to circumnavigate, to explore, to discover a way off this island of me. In my mind, this idea of “inclusion” is simply a kinder, gentler version of supremacy.

So should I be satisfied with kinder and gentler? Should we be satisfied with a more compassionate supremacy? Each successive generation can lay claim to being more civilized than the preceding generation. But I don't believe more humane is the same as humane. I don't believe more educated is the same as educated. I do not believe more enlightened is the same as enlightened. And I do not believe more fair-minded is the same as just.

We have to find new ways. I have to learn from others and I have to know that what I know will only serve to impede action and progress.

There are far more important things to write about, and to talk about, and to think about, than me.