Writer/poet/artist Sabyasachi Roy’s book has ignited my creative energies at a time when my spirit is spiraling. As multiple regional wars gain traction and famine thrives, the world is teetering on the brink of one massive, global war. I guess that would be World War III, for those who are counting.
“Somewhere, right now, a missile is landing.”
Roy’s stark opening sentence puts everything in our lives into a perspective most of us would prefer to ignore. In my activist days, I was on the front lines addressing many injustices. Now, tucked away in a corner of the jungle in southern Costa Rica, my activism is limited to standing up for the locals whenever I can, writing about active colonial mentalities, and painting the beauty of my surroundings. Seems woefully insignificant, especially as the ugliest behaviors of the dominant society are seeping into what we perceive as pristine communities. While world leaders are lying about everything from pedophilia to peace negotiations, “Karens” are ripping homerun baseballs out of children’s hands, and gringos are pointing fingers of picayune blame at the locals while covering up their own water calamities. It’s all “normal” behavior now, sanctified by presidents, supreme courts, religious leaders, and on down the line to your aggravating neighborhood “Dicks” and “Karens.”
So what can I do—what can we do—to make the world a more compassionate, collaborative and habitable place for all? I guess the answer is, whatever we can, without minimizing even the smallest of achievements. When I write, social issues are always top of mind as I develop my plots and character arcs. When I paint, I honor the natural beauty while mourning its gradual degradation at the hands of avaricious developers. Does that make a difference? Who knows…
If your soul energy is directed toward the light, that’s gotta be a good thing. If there are enough pinpricks of light out there shining in the darkness, change for the good just might be achievable. Ojalá.
Judy Richter 