THE BEST OF TIMES

One effect of mass communication is that we become aware of bad news from all over the world. Every day we see reports about crimes, unrest, warfare, disasters, the declining economy and so on. It can seem as if the world is rapidly disintegrating. It is as if these are the worst of times.

This is the way it has been for quite some time now. In every generation, there are those who feel the end must be near. All these calamities, the chaos, the declining state of morality among young people…are these not the very signs of Armageddon as foretold in philosophies? Why can’t things go back to the way they used to be, back to the golden age decades ago?

Tao cultivators observe that there is a remarkable consistency in the “worst of times” pattern generation after generation. There have been doomsayers since biblical times, and yet humanity continues on in defiance of all the people expecting apocalypse. Therefore, rather than thinking about everything that is wrong, let us think about everything that is right at this moment in time. We can use this as a foundation. We can create our own golden age, right here and now.

The Tao Today

The times can be the best, the worst or something in between. The essential nature of humanity has not changed substantially, for better or worse. Join in the effort to shape reality in our image and make the world a better place. As long as you hold on to the Tao, you can see to it that these will always be the best of times.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin