Everything and Nothing

Human existence had increasingly been predicated on surface reality. This is not the reality of life.

Having disconnected, checked out from the inescapable reality of interconnectedness we had ‘unknowingly’ imprisoned our whole species way before a novel Coronavirus slammed the door and locked us down and in.

Two years is a very light sentence for the unfathomable crimes we all inflicted upon life. Life outside our arrogant stance was/is bigger greater and much more powerful than our insatiable consumer driven emotions could ever begin to conceive. Our rational perceptions were subjected to a tsunami of pleasure. Swimming, luxuriating yet ultimately drowning in a whirlpool of decedent, hedonistic never satisfied urges. Constantly reaching for that first hit our addiction to stuff was on a train wreck, doomsday, awful and tragic crunching stop. Covid-19 wasn’t/isn’t personal, it hasn’t gone away, its still here to remind us, nudge, poke, alert and when the human made conditions are ‘right’ it and/or other messages will be delivered, and they are likely to be carrying and spreading much stronger consequences than SARS-CoV-2.

Bali is very quiet; many businesses are closed temporarily/permanently, and sale/lease signs are very common. Yet there are many establishments open and ‘thriving,’ such has been the brutal swath the pandemic has cut and levelled on this Island. This scene has been reflected around the planet, yet each nation, region, city, town, suburb, village, family, couple, and individual has felt completely and terrifyingly alone and isolated. The rallying anthem of ‘we are all in this together’ was Humanities greatest moment and ultimate chance to recognize what this ‘event’ was all about. It was our collective opportunity to evolve, to leap to that next level, to take our place at the real-world level table and consume only what we need and not gorge on our never ever ending wants, urges. To deal with our destructive greed. We failed, not because we are stupid. Its just very simply. It's our nature.

Tourists are returning to Bali and that promise and commitment to come back will give Bali people hope and faith that they are not alone, that they and their Island matters. If all stays on track the Island will be back to pre-2019 pumping levels within 12 months if not before. Whether that is good or bad is not an argument worth having at all. Bali people have/are struggling and suffering terribly. Everything and nothing has/is changed, it feels like we left the room and immediately stepped back in. Bali as an Island is as it’s always been, smells the same, looks the same, vibrates the same. Except all the stuff is not there and again its open to opinion whether its good bad or whatever. The reception on returning was beautifully warm gracious and humble. And the weather is also great. Its not the Bali of old, it’s the Bali of real and it and the people of Bali fully deserve our full attendance, respect, understanding, empathy, and love for what we have all been through together.

​Its good to be back.