Reflect. Resist.

Resistance as a conscious act. Hmm…that’s an intriguing take on “vive la revolution!” n’est-ce pas?

Many of us resist today because of our strong reaction in the moment. We don’t like something about that person, that situation, that paint color, so we throw out some judgment, add a dash of entitlement for some flavor, and a skosh of self-righteousness for sizzle. We decide that we are right, they are wrong, end of the story. Our version of the story, anyway.

When did we stop getting curious about what’s causing the resistance in the first place? When do we take that pause and notice how our strong reaction feels in our body (clenched jaw, pounding head, racing heart, ragged breath), so we can learn more about ourselves, see where we need to grow, and — heaven forbid — make some necessary (and often long-overdue) changes. Where does it come from? Why is it there? What can we do about it, no matter how small that step is? How do we give ourselves the space, the grace, to reflect on all of that?

There is something innate about both resistance and reflection for us humans. We’re wired to resist things that aren’t safe, that could cause harm and destruction, and that’s for good reason. However, the nature of physical danger has shifted today and we are becoming more conscious of the psychological dangers that are running rampant in our society, which present a unique opportunity to get acquainted with another mode of resisting. It’s about resisting group think, social injustice, racial/gender bias, the increasingly isolated ways of being (heads’ down, sitting across from a real, live human, and scrolling through social media, anyone?). It’s taking back the very things that make us living, breathing, flesh-and-blood humans before they are stripped away from us forever and we are left with all of the “Big’s” making the decisions for us.

Reflect. Resist.

You know what I think about sometimes? How planting a few herbs in a planter box is an act of resistance, even if they all die in the end (this may or may not have happened to me…stupid basil plant). How the growth of those herbs are an opportunity to reflect on the miracle, vastness, and interconnected nature of…nature.

Reflect. Resist.