Island of Illusion

I'm musing on the Memorial Day on a favorite quote of mine (though I've long forgotten the source), "Ahh yes, Washington, D.C., 37 square miles of illusion surrounded by a sea of reality". Having lived outside our national capital for 20 years has proved over and over again the truth of this statement. Every year at this time, thousands of new college graduates head across the Potomac River seeking access to fame and power (or to the famous and powerful or to become famous and powerful). They come to change the world (or at least America) and to make their mark. Most find that there are no jobs or that those jobs are as Administrative Assistants in an entry-level job far removed from the seats of power. Yet still they come each and every year, like the swallows to Capistrano, hoping for something more than the reality that awaits them. We're really no different in our worldview than the politically minded, are we?! We all have our different islands of illusion. Maybe it's the illusion of individualism (I can do whatever I want as long as no one gets hurt); maybe it's the illusion of invincibility (I can do whatever I choose to my body now and deal with the consequences later); maybe it's the illusion of technology (Whatever I do can be undone by technology that exists now or in the future); or the illusion of ever increasing wealth (no matter what I spend [or we spend as a Country] there will always be more money). Put in whatever pet idol(s) you've created and worship. Idols help us create the illusion that reality does not need to be considered - the idol will make it right. Our collective idolatry (making a "good" thing an "ultimate" thing) has resulted in budget deficits of epic proportion, wars we have started with no hope for cessation, a God-less religion that spiritually feeds fewer and fewer people, a rampant individualism and post-secular worldview that negates the reality of needing to be in relationship - and will likely lead to our destruction. This mindless pursuit of new idols is fostered and fueled by the corporate-industrial complex which requies ever higher profits at the expense of the many for the benefit of the exceedingly few. There is a way around this however - and people of the Book know it. G-d tells us how to be in relastionship with one another. Shows us time and again in varied stories how we as broken humans can be healed and forgiven. How we can get back in touch with G-d and with each other in right relationship. How we can put off worldly illusion for the much larger worldview of reality that leads to life eternal (in this life - not after we die). It's time to discover (or to re-discover) the role of reality in our lives. Reality that can save us from ourselves and our collective insanity. Peace for the journey, Dan