Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” I guess that best describes the year in retrospect for many of my friends and myself. We had such high hopes that Kamala Harris could transform the political, economic, social, and environmental direction of this country. We were ready for a break from all the polarization and hate-filled proposals from those promoting fear and blame. Looking ahead, I’m still not sure if this country is ready to come together or if it ever will… and that is so depressing for me… so unreal and at times, too unbearable to accept. I think I’m still in perpetual denial of how we could be so self-destructive and cruel… and yet, here we are. Someone once said that those who are unwilling to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I wonder… is this how the fall of Rome came about and the rise of authoritarian governments?
Someone asked me lately on a podcast: What happens now? I don’t have an answer, much less an inkling of what to do next. However, the events of the past few weeks brought back some very stark memories that had a striking similarity to other traumatic events of the past: the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. Each seemed so devastating to the country that the course of history was altered for years.
And yet, despite the tragic events that stole the lives of so many inspiring bright lights and leaders, life did survive and so did I and those around me. Each led us to the next place where we were meant to go. As Joseph Campbell once wrote: We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Each step I took, though hard and painful, began with a single step into the unknown. I just followed my tired heart and each time there was a sign – whether it was from a person, an event in history, the passing of a loved one… I paid attention. When my mother was murdered, I was devastated for three long, agonizing years. I went to a therapist which inspired me to get a Masters in Counseling, start an Asian Men’s Group and a Multi-Cultural Men’s Group. I also went on to become the filmmaker of The Color of Fear, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show; the rest is history.
So, here I am, thirty-six years later, having done over three thousand workshops and trainings which took me to every single state, written seven books and produced and directed over seven films… and to this day, still in awe at how my life turned out.
It’s true: Life is a journey that each day, begins with a single step. Do not go silent into the night, my friends. There is still so much do for our communities and for this next generation and for the welfare of this planet. A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality, as John Lennon reminded us. And someday, the Dream, will come again…
