A Winter Retreat

I'm hunkering down for a writing retreat at the property we own in southwestern Ontario. Three weeks of walking along the lake, cooking simple meals, and daydreaming on paper. Outside there's been a mix of freezing rain and snow, but inside it's all fuzzy blankets and hot soup. Lovely! (Though I don't want to know what the propane bill is going to be.) I have an electric heater that looks like a fake woodstove to warm my legs as I sit at my desk, and the dog is curled at my feet, giving the occasional sigh because he's a bit bored, but we'll play ball in the rec room shortly.

I usually start my day with the same routine: scripture reading, check emails, check Facebook, muse over real estate ads from time to time, and then check headlines on Youtube. Maybe some Avi Kaplan music or a Qi Gong video to start my day before I get to work. The last few days, when I check in on Facebook, I stumble across the same individual, who apparently has a friend in common with me and therefore pops up in my face all the time. This person never has a single positive thing to say, but seems to feel it's his mission to tear down and argue and slap people who are trying to put out cheerful or meaningful content. Truthful and well-intentioned content. I gather he's a pretty grumpy person by nature, but current events have really brought out his bad side. Usually I ignore such people, but the last couple of days I've felt the need to counter his posts, to stand up for truth and goodness, and to, in short, push back. I try to keep it polite and honest, but it's a fine line to walk between standing up for truth and getting defensive. I don't think my replies will change a thing in his thinking, but sometimes you have to defend the light. If I remain silent, I'm complicit in his nastiness. How often did people in 1940 Austria look back and think, "I should have said something."?

It's much easier to retreat into my fuzzy blanket and ignore what's going on. I'd rather do that than get embroiled in conflict (and I do try to dispel conflict and tension when it arises. There's a way to stand up without stomping on other people). My natural tendency is to let people be people and keep to myself. But the time for keeping quiet might be over. If we don't stand up for the light, darkness could overwhelm it.