September 09, 2024 – A

Brooks Vance told his wife Louise,
at the point in their life
when they were spending more time
in the hospital than on the beach,
or anywhere else they might want to be,
"Don't add up your vulnerabilities, Louise.
It would only depress you."

"Don't think about your troubles!
Have another drink!"

Not thinking about our troubles
is the ground of all religion,
particularly the more right-wing,
fundamentalist religions,
the religions of escapism and denial,
and what religions aren't?

I've been saying for years, now, 
"Don't think/care about your chances!
Just do what is called for in each situation
as it arises all your life long!
AS though it matters!
No matter what!"

It amounts to the same thing:
"Don't dwell on your vulnerabilities,
just do what you can, here, now.
As though it matters!"

Living as though it matters
is the essential ingredient of faith
in all forms throughout time.
We have to believe it matters 
how we live, what we do.

Keep telling ourselves it matters,
and live as though it does,
has gotten us out of the caves
to here, now.
It is the only thing that matters,
believing it matters that/how we live
and living as though it does.

So, take that as your mantra
to get you through the night,
through the low places,
through the "Who cares?
Why try? What difference does it make?"
stages of our life from start to finish.

"Who cares, who cares?"
"Why not try?"
"What difference does it make
if nothing makes any difference?"

"Believe that it matters that/how we live--
and live as though it does!"

Laughing all the way!
Singing and dancing in the rain!
Even if we are singing the blues!

So what if it seems that we are
kidding ourselves?
We have been doing that from the start!
And it works!
Keep it up!
Keep it going!
All the way!