I was thinking about writing some philosophical treatise and/or diatribe here on the nature of our lives and transition, but it turns out I don’t know what to say just yet. The short — or “TL;DR”, if you will — version is that a life without transition is a stagnant existence. One that we can not actually perceive as real and valid in the sense that we would normally use those words. Transitions from one point to another are what define motion, so without them we can’t actually be sure we’re moving — either metaphysically or physically. So that’s the primary point. The rest of the post was going to be about how to engage moments of transition in such a way that we can better determine which direction our motion takes us, but I haven’t fleshed that out entirely. More later.

Well, I’ve adopted the @twitter as a method of communication, but since this blog is my main communication center, I want to make sure all streams come through here. To that end, I used a nice little WordPress plugin called Xhanch to do it. If you’re using WordPress, I would definitely encourage you to check it out.

I’m planning on using it on a certain website I’m building, too.

I’m going to split the topics of the post into two groups. The latter is the most important and is regarding whether the events in our lives happen for a reason or if they’re just random occurrences. Unfortunately, the first topic of this post is one I’ve written on before: my own lack of consistency in updating these pages. It’s been I-don’t-know-how-long since my last post, so I’ll just start this one with an update or two.

1. I’ve moved onegecko.com to a new server that I have more control over. Details of the reasons and what’s behind the move can be inferred by visiting www.sherbertia.com.
2. The 2010 World Cup has taken up most of my time, but it probably has for most of the rest of you, as well.
3. Lastly, I’ve been busy helping out a friend with her website. I’ll post details of that once it launches.

So, here endeth the excuses. Now for the reason I’m writing.

If you’re reading this, you’ve been told at some point in your life — probably at a profoundly tragic moment — that everything “happens for a reason”. Ostensibly, of course, this means that whatever it is you’re dealing with at that moment will be the cause of something else in the future. The statement is supposed to make us feel better. As though understanding why something happens is a kind of solace. A friend of mine has been noodling with this theme in some of his writing — which by the way is quite good so I hope he keeps going — so I’ve started to toss it around in my noggin as well. There are a number of paths to take in the discussion, but I’ll let him be the master of that journey. As for me it’s quite simple. It doesn’t matter why something happens. What matters is what you do next.

When my mother died, I found no solace in the typical “it’s all for a reason” argument. I knew the reason. Her diabetes got the best of her. The question that needed to be answered was “what next?”. In fact, the job of life is to consistently answer that question for ourselves. Lose your job? What are you going to do about it? Made a bad decision and got into a fight? Jail? What will you do next? The answer we find to the question of what next is what defines us for that moment. It’s what ultimately provides the foundation for all other decisions moving forward. Reputations are won and lost by the history of our answers to the question.

Is it important to try and understand the reason behind an event in our life? It might be. It is more important, however, to step forward into the aftermath of that event and try to figure out what to do next. A profoundly difficult task to say the least, but the comfort we can garner from taking affirmative and positive action is far greater than that provided by the answer to the weaker question of why.

I abhor racism. The idea that any one person is better or worse than another simply because of skin color or cultural differences is and always has been absurd. Just as absurd is the idea that culture can’t or shouldn’t be shared amongst disparate groups of people. I have no patience for any propaganda that supports the ascension of  one group at the expense of another. I used to think that my need for this spite and abhorrence would be able to slowly ebb as societies became more understanding and tolerant of one another, as groups within those societies became more tolerant of one another. I’m afraid I was mistaken.

Racism is in fact still strong in America. The perpetual separation of groups by color, culture and language remains a significant part of our culture. The transition of distrust and hatred from blacks to asians to the middle-eastern to hispanics and back again is perpetually enacted. We are supposed to be a country of open-armed tolerance. A beacon of hope to the world.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
‘ With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

We’ve never been perfect, but the desire has always been there for most of us. We should have learned by now, though. Italians, Germans, Irish, Chinese, Polish, Jewish, Japanese, Vietnamese, and now Mexicans. When is it going to end? I propose it ends now, and I’ve got some ideas for how to settle what appear on the surface to be issues about immigration but are in reality about racism.

1. Those people here illegally should be allowed to apply for work visas or citizenship immediately with no fear of repercussions.
2. America should never declare a national language, culture, or religion. Our identity is in our liberty and openness, not in the way we speak or how we choose — or choose not — to worship.
3. All racist ideas need to stop. Now. If you judge a culture by the actions of a few individuals, you’re racist. Knock it off.
4. No American or guest of this country should be forced to produce identification or proof of residence unless there is a felony potential.
5. All laws that raise up one culture over another should be repealed.
6. Stop focusing on one culture per month. How about making sure our history books are accurate rather than highlight or diminish the accomplishments of one culture at a time?
7. Learn. From. Our. Mistakes.

That should do it.