I just watched an astounding film called Garbage Warrior.
What made the biggest impression on me wasn’t just the incredibly innovative reuse of garbage to build beautiful dwellings, complete with fully self-sustaining infrastructure (power, heat, water and sewage all off grid); it was the inability of regulators and bureaucrats to appreciate the benefits of this type of design. What was Mike Reynolds’ reward for creating these amazing buildings? He had his architect’s licence revoked, demonstrating a stunning lack of vision by the powers that be.
photo: Flickr, The Library of Congress' photostream
As 2012 approaches, I wonder about that inner bureaucrat in all of us who wants to play by the rules; the selfish one who misses the big picture, who always seeks to control, who misses the forest for the trees. How do we give that stuffy old fart his proper due without losing our ability to work towards the greater good? More concisely, what can we do to put more energy into love than fear?
Many of us are struggling under a system that’s collapsing: so how do we love it to death? How do we allow the walls to crumble — inside and out — while nurturing what needs to grow? How do we protect ourselves, while supporting each other through all this crumbling? What do we need to bless and let go of? How do we recognize the outmoded, and joyously release it to the universe? And what will this make room for in our lives, individually and collectively?
Here are a few things that come to my mind:
I’m happy to let go of the need to be right – in a time when we’re so desperately in need of solutions, how about if we give all our ideas a chance? Why does anyone need to be right? I’d like to replace ‘right’ with ‘useful’ and ‘constructive’ and even ‘wonderful’ — there’s something so rigid and sterile about ‘right’.
I’d also like to get rid of that inner balance sheet that only returns a favour for a favour. Let’s face it: some of us are more needy than others, and we go through times when we’re more able to give or receive. As they say, an eye for an eye just leaves us all blind.
Next into the dustbin is all that’s inauthentic. That includes everything from responding in ways that are artificial, to using less plastic, to being in denial. I know that’s a tall order; sometimes we need that new electronic device, and we often don’t realize we’re in denial, or can’t muster the courage to be as authentic as we’d like to. But why not try?
I also want to intentionally get away from marketing schemes, sales pitches and their more subtle versions, like networking. In their place I want to establish relationships that are authentic, loving and deep. I want to be sensitive in all my dealings with others, to their feelings, needs and to the truth of who they are with the truth of who I am.
The phrase “Go with the flow” drives my inner bureaucrat crazy. He wants permanence: a house made of stone, stability in all things. But nothing in life is permanent, and when I really allow that knowledge into my consciousness, I can appreciate the beauty of each moment and really be present for it. The sound of melting snow, the ambience of a space, the subtlety inherent in each unique time of day. What makes life precious is that it’s ephemeral, a concept my inner bureaucrat will never be able to comprehend.
We’re at a time when the world needs our very best. Maybe if we can give our inner bureaucrat the stability of a few solid relationships, some good habits and a simple routine, it’ll give us enough slack to use our desperately needed ingenuity and creativity to transform our world.
How’s your inner bureaucrat doing these days, and what will you do to appease him?
Tags: 2012, Garbage Warrior, Mike Reynolds, Tides Canada
