Life is so busy these days. Rarely do we have time for all the things we wish to accomplish. Friends and family often fall behind work. Certain things have to give. One of those for me for a long time was letting others determine what information mattered and uncritically accepting it.
We are rarely expected to do our own research anymore, with so many experts determining what we need to know and when. Just pick the personality or the corporation behind them and we are free to attend to other things demanding our attention; a seemingly endless list of duties, chores, and responsibilities.
I remember hearing the phrase “alternative facts” for the first time. I paused, thinking I could not possibly have heard that correctly. I did. I found it unsettling that untruths could become acceptable with a fresh coat of paint and a new name.
Now I recognize that moment when I paused as a signal for attention. Its popularity grew, but I learned, as we all do, by society’s direction, to tolerate it and not question. Toleration became the socially accepted answer. And the discomfort grew.
For a long time I chose short-term ease. I ignored the discomfort. I learned society’s lesson and viewed discomfort as something to avoid rather than confront. Avoidance provided ease to continue on without notice or acknowledgement. Confrontation caused problems, and we are too busy to create problems.
There do come moments in life where we have no choice but to sit with the discomfort and examine it. I am unsure when discomfort became something to escape instead of examine, as those moments often end with more clarity on the subject pondered.
Warning or invitation will likely remain unknown, but discomforts penchant to return is well known. That alone feels worth noticing.
Discomfort keeps arriving before I know what to call it.
I’m trying to learn how to stay with it long enough to listen.