The Shouting Before the Tears

Dear friend,

There seem to be stages in a person’s ability to hold what they are feeling.

We’re an orchestra of emotions and energies inside of us and for many of us the melody is lost in a maelstrom of competing energies.

It’s not so hard to scare people if you start when they are young and make sure you’ve got to their folks too. It’s a long-term vision you take when you’re into control and influence because you’re always asking… “and then what?”

Well…

And then…

Communities of people realising they can connect are telling new stories.

Like

Did you know it for a fact that Darwin was rather upset about the way his science was misrepresented and used to promote competition as the natural state of reality rather than cooperation?

Dog eat dog.

Is very attractive to emotionally disrupted young men who bully and cajole and strut around and scare the children.

It feels like power to them.

But real power is inside each of us and we feel it when we’re in community with one another. We’re wired to collaborate and cooperate and it feels great to recognise good people and to weather the squalls and storms of the open seas of friendship and discovery.

Myths help us harmonise the orchestra and the songs we play change.

Taking a myth into your body is a small thing.

A small thing that grows into the size of a universe.

This universe.

The one we are in now.

Grandpa Joe tells it better than anyone.

I mean no offence to the memory of the great Joseph Campbell. Chiara and me, we comfort ourselves by pretending we had Joseph as a grandpa and we grew up around him and his wonderful muse wife Jean.

I wrote this around midnight because I’m driving to Sheffield early in the morning.

Here’s Grandpa Joe: About the way myths tune the energy of our bodies and minds, so we can sing songs of nature and the power to make whole what seems scattered or broken.

I passed through rage so many times today that all of my neighbours heard it.

I stamped and kicked soft furnishings that were in no danger from the beating. Great big soft cushions. Stuff I really care about.

I wasn’t the only one shouting today either.

Best not to shout at someone though.

I just shout it out.

It’s like a two-year-old’s way of letting the energy flow. Stamping and swearing a bit. A few choice expletives dropped in with pleasure.

It’s kind of scary too.

I only do it when I’m home alone.

Eventually, you get to tears and then that loving place in the centre of your body.

Our hearts.

Have everything to do with it.

Till tomorrow

Love

Mikey

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