Can you face the consequences of continued growth?

by Greg Gillette, Denver, CO

I friend of mine sent this quote to me the other day. At first I thought the quote to mean the continued economic growth and suburban sprawl that this country is famous for. NO, I screamed inside my head as this type of continued growth has got to stop. I cannot face the consequences of more pollution, more war and more corporate greed.

It then dawned on me, that the quote meant the consequences of MY growth: my emotional growth, my spiritual growth, my inner and outer growth of what it means to be living in love, truth, and awareness.

As I have grown over the years, my circle of friends and my ability to connect with people has gotten smaller. At times, I feel out of place with the regular American who blindly follows the other Americans in search of happiness through more material goods and who blindly supports the government, the media and the other out dated institutions in this country.

At times, I ponder if my life would be better if I had not changed and I was a typical American, just living and not questioning anything and enjoying all the things that the typical Americans enjoy: television, bars, shopping, pro sports, Hollywood movies, automobiles, lawn mowers, carpet, etc.

Of course, I only ponder because my blood runs so deep in becoming a better and more conscious person every day that I would die if I had to go back to where I came from.

I will continue to live with the consequences of being different and crazy to most Americans, for this is who I am and I know that other Americans are feeling the same way I did many years ago and they, too, will find the courage to face the consequence of their new growth and their continued growth into the future.