Transience
Today’s circumstances won’t last forever.
Who we are, the way we live, the things we do—they’re all impermanent.
The transient nature of everything can be panic-inducing, but there’s power in temporariness, even when it’s not always obvious or the first place our minds go when we consider the tempestuous shifts that endlessly upend the fixed and familiar.
Every change introduces an endless number of novel opportunities that we hadn’t previously considered, been aware of, or had access to.
It can be unpleasant to think about how our lives, our habits, our expectations and sense of norms might change—perhaps soon, perhaps in the distant future, but almost certainly eventually, and perhaps dramatically.
It can be valuable to remind ourself of this transience, though, so that we’re not caught entirely off-guard when the ground starts to shift and the structural elements of our lives begin to rearrange themselves.
It’s understandable to feel a sense of security in implied permanence, but malleability is arguably the more reliable attribute, as it allows for bending rather than breaking; adapting, rather than clinging to a familiar set of circumstances that no longer exist.
I try to remind myself that change is natural, growth is natural, birth and death are natural: they’re all part of the same system.
If nothing ever changed, nothing would ever get better.
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On this day three years ago, I was on a train from St. Louis to New Orleans. This is a photo from somewhere in Mississippi.
Projects
This week on Brain Lenses I published an essay about Source Monitoring and a podcast episode about Ludonarrative Dissonance.
This week’s episode of Let’s Know Things is a COVID-19 Update.
Interesting & Useful
Some neat things:
A Linear Portrait of the USA/Canada Border(interesting to see all these on-the-ground photos from this loooooong border)
Blocks(a fun little browser game—worth having the sound turned on as you play)
Ubiquitous Medieval Pigs(this would make for an excellent band name)
Falcon Cam(there are eggs in the nest!)
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Gallery(some amazing photos)
Frank Moth’s Artwork(beautiful, collaged “postcards from the future”)
Taikyoku Shogi(what a fascinating game)
For more interesting things of this kind, pop over to Curiosity Gadget.
On this day four years ago, I was in New Zealand after finding a cheap ticket and deciding on a whim to spend election day there, instead of where I was based at the time (Wichita, Kansas).
Outro
So.
US friends: it’s bound to be a very, very stressful day, following a very stressful year(s), and there’s a good chance that it’s about to become a bit more stressful for at least half of us, but perhaps all of us, in the coming months, as well.
On the personal front, please take care of yourself physically and psychologically.
Step away from the news—there’s nothing you can do to influence things that are still in motion—and remain informed, but not obsessively so. Stay hydrated, talk to friends and family, commit to focusing on other things as much as you’re able, and maintain (or start) positive habits, like regular exercise, eating well, and routines that allow you to set the world aside so you can sleep somewhat normally.
On the societal front, be kind to your fellow human beings, be empathetic to their stress and suffering (even if it’s suffering predicated on their “team” losing and your “team” winning), and maintain a civically engaged stance that also leaves room for everything else in life.
This has already sucked on many levels and will likely continue to suck for a while, and there’s no reason to increase our own or other people’s misery during this period of increased suckiness.
Non-US friends: apologies for the all the coverage this election cycle has been getting, and probably will continue to get, pretty much everywhere, when there are plenty of other important things happening around the world.
We’ve got a weird political system and we’ll hopefully figure out a way to make it less weird, someday. In the meantime, please e-hug someone from the US if you can, as it’s a very strange and stressful time hereabouts, right now.
What’s the world look like from your perspective, at the moment?
What’s been on your mind? What’s bringing you joy? What’s causing concern?
Hear any good jokes lately?
I read and respond to every email I receive, so consider telling me about yourself, what you’ve been up to, and how life looks and feels from your point-of-view.
You can reach me by responding directly to this newsletter or via colin@exilelifestyle.com
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I’m also available via the usual social mechanisms: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and auto-tuned animal noises.
If you’re finding some value in what I’m doing here, consider supporting my work by becoming a patron of my writing or Let’s Know Things, buying one of my books, or subscribing to Brain Lenses. You can also keep it simple and buy me a coffee.