The Tides

When I was a kid, I loved building sandcastles on the beach at low tide and fighting the waves as the tide rolled back in. No matter how much sand I added, how many protective moats or walls I constructed, or how cleverly I designed my castle, eventually the ocean would win, destroying everything I’d built. But, then, the tide would crest, the ocean would recede, and I’d build an even better castle on the flat, wet sand. Tides come and go, and the ocean is much bigger than I am. I liked fighting the good fight, felt humbled by the power of the sea, and was calmed by the cyclical nature of things.

We live in treacherous times, and many people fear that the important works we have built as a species are imperiled. Democracy is in retreat all over the world, autocrats are solidifying their grip on power, and dissent is crushed in cruel and brutal ways. In too many places, military force is used to settle conflicts, killing thousands, displacing millions, and throwing entire regions into poverty. Political corruption, civil liberties, income inequality, violence, drug overdoses, and other societal ills all seem to be on the rise, while kindness, empathy, and tolerance are becoming more difficult to find.

It feels like the very fabric of society is coming apart, as we vilify and demonize each other on social media, fanning distrust and hatred of people we define as other to us. We only read what we already believe and believe what people in our own circle tell us, reinforcing all of our stereotypes, prejudices, and biases. We’ve become less worldly, more ignorant, and more insular, mindlessly repeating falsehoods we picked up in mimes, videos, and tweets. We’re becoming a lesser version of ourselves.

The news is distressing, more bad than good, and even if we get the occasional uplifting tale, for the most part, we are overwhelmed by a torrent of scary and disappointing stories. Climate change is causing our planet to burn in some places and drown in others, crops are failing, and severe storms tear apart our homes. Covid-19 has killed and sickened millions around the world, and before we can catch our breath, monkeypox is on the rise. The economy is in tatters, inflation is rising, and social injustice is becoming more extreme. No wonder we’re anxious and depressed.

And, none of this is stopping soon. Things can get a lot worse before they start getting better. It feels like the tide is rising, and soon, all the things we value and cherish will be swept away. This may be. Humanity has done this to itself before, and times got really awful. But, each time, eventually the tide receded and we rebuilt even better than before. As we face the tide of pain and destruction ahead, we need to work with all our will to salvage what we can of our humanity, but also take solace in the cycles of the tides.