In the grand scheme of things, in the entire 14 plus billion year history of the Universe, and the 4 plus billion year history of our own little blue pearl in a sea of black void, the time any of us are here on the planet is the blink of an eye. So no matter what grand accomplishments, no matter the accolades and awards we may have accumulated, in the end, we all face the darkness that is the end of our lives, and whatever lies beyond, whether that is heaven, hell, blackness, or the end product of all of our thoughts and actions encapsulated in a non-physical environment of our own creation. And after we are no longer among the living, very little will remain of even the most accomplished of us. And that’s OK. In a way, it levels the playing field. Because not everyone is going to be famous, or accomplished, or rich or even just good looking. But we all share something. We all are, or were, a living, breathing nobody.

So then, the question remains why do anything if it has no meaning in the grand scheme of things? The answer is that our existence is its own justification. We are the end product of billions of years of evolution. Or the creative output of an omnipotent being. It doesn’t matter in the final analysis. What does matter is the inner richness of our lives. How many people have you touched in a positive way? How many days have you brightened for someone with a song, with a smile, with a hug, with a meal? Have you ever cared for a baby? Or a beloved pet? Has anyone looked at you with love in their eyes? If so, then you have lived a meaningful life and enriched the Universe with your very existence. 

Of course the quality of our own personal subjective experience of existence is impacted by many factors; our personal characteristics, our health, our wealth, our environments and our basic disposition towards the world. But the good news is that while some things are rather fixed, like our height, our basic intelligence or our eye color, how we approach each moment is up to us. Whatever our circumstances, we always have a choice about how we face our reality. So we can choose to be nobodies whose lives are meaningless, or we can choose to be nobodies who fill each day with personal purpose, with amazing everyday adventures, with loving relationships, with treasures of the heart, together with our fellow nobodies. 

So as a nearly life long practicing Nichiren Buddhist (almost 48 years now), I have often given thought to the differences between the belief system I was born and raised in and the one I adopted at an early age. And when I state my observations, I am in no way implying a criticism of anyone’s beliefs. I am merely observing that there are a number of differences between a Buddhist outlook and the one I grew up in. 

For me, the most fundamental difference between the 2 belief systems goes back to the very core of how each views human nature. In Christianity, man was created in God’s image. Humans were innocent and carefree but were lured into eating from the tree of knowledge by Satan disguised as a serpent. Everything about human beings from that point on is predicated on the premise that people are originally sinful and need redemption from someone (Jesus) who intervenes on their behalf. The adage “We’re only human” comes to mind. Meaning it’s OK that we make mistakes, it is to be expected since our nature is tainted ever since the Garden of Eden episode. 

Buddhism in general, and Nichiren Buddhism in particular, has a different perspective on the human condition. The premise of the Lotus Sutra (which is the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism), is that everyone possesses an originally enlightened nature that has been covered up by karma created over many lifetimes. But underneath all of the things we have done is an untainted entity of pure life force which is the source of life’s continual ability to renew itself. It is shared by everyone and cannot be given or taken away. It is the fundamental nature of our beings. We just need to become aware of it in order to begin the process of bringing it out from under all the rubble and troubles of our lives. 

It may seem like a small thing since each school of thought recognizes the human condition as being a never ending procession of problems and sufferings. But the belief that underneath it all, there is a perfectly pure entity of life that can be uncovered by our own efforts has brought me hope even during the darkest nights of my soul. Nichiren compares our deluded minds to a clouded mirror but offers hope that by polishing, our mirror can become clear, reflecting enlightenment, and that our lives can shine with hope, compassion and wisdom. 

And hope is a precious commodity indeed. Especially during trying times like these. 

Partisan politics aside, it is a discussion we need to have. I’m certainly glad to be in the SF Bay Area right now. Between Mayor Breed and Governor Newsom, and a citizenship that is aware enough to take this threat seriously, we have been spared the worst case scenario so far. But we do need to look at what we can do to keep the economy going and figuring out how to live a reasonably sane and productive life for the next 2 years or so, and to do so in such a way that we have a functioning economy by the time we develop a vaccine and herd immunity. 

It seems like we will need to learn a new way to live. One where high fives and hand shakes are truly intimate and only happen between family and our very closest friends who we see routinely anyway. Masks will become common place. Not wearing a mask in a public venue will be considered rude and inconsiderate behavior. Things we took for granted, like eating out in a restaurant or attending a social or sporting event will be much different. Nobody knows exactly how yet, either which makes this all the more unsettling. 

But we will figure it out. Some things we took for granted will fall by the wayside. But they will be replaced by other things. This may be our chance to re-think what it means to live in the 21st Century. We have a chance to re-set our priorities. I know I look at health care workers, first responders, store clerks, and yes, even the people who restock our shelves and clean up in hospitals and such with a newfound sense of respect and appreciation. Maybe we can figure out how to treat them a bit more fairly. 

Are the things we have had to endure and will continue to endure worth it? 50,000 US deaths (as of today) makes me say yes. It could have been much worse and it could have also been much better. Let us hope California and the Bay Area continues to lead the way as we make our way forward into a different future.

So I just played along with a Facebook Meme and posted my Senior Picture in support of the Class of 2020, who are all going to miss out on their graduations. My heart goes out to all those youth as they prepare to miss out on some of our time-honored rites of passage. However, this is an unprecedented time in the history of not only our nation, but the entire world, and we have to face it head on, staring it right in the eye. 

In the meantime, let me share my perspective 44 years after my own graduation. As much fun as I had (or sometimes didn’t have), I now look at my High School years as a mixed bag of hormone fueled emotional highs and lows. As I am sure is true for many. Whether it is the high point of your life or a prison sentence that you are just trying to get through, High School is certainly a time of highly charged emotional experiences. For example, I didn’t attend my senior prom. I was too shy to ask anyone. And I’m ok with that. Now. My life since I graduated has more than made up for that experience I missed. 

And that’s my point. High School is just a launch pad for the rest of your life. Whether it has been a good experience for you or torture; if you were popular, just had a small circle of friends, or were a complete loner, what matters is what you decide to do with the rest of your life. Whether you go to college and earn a degree, go into a trade, or even if it takes you while to find your footing and figure out a non-traditional path for yourself like me, it’s all good. And what it turns into is entirely up to you. 

You are the author of your own auto-biography. You write the script and act in the drama of your own life. It’s up to you whether it’s a sit-com, a fantasy adventure or a horror story. Own this power. It is the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. Whatever life throws at you, whatever curve balls, tragedies, hardships or challenges you have to face, you get to choose how you respond. In the end, it’s the one thing nobody can take away from you. 

So class of 2020, I salute you as you face a unique situation. Your senior year has been stolen from you by an unseen enemy that threatens everyone. And the world is at a turning point. Things may never be the same as they were before. So now the question remains, what kind of story are you going to write with your life?

Last night I saw a news segment about the folks in Italy and how life is changed forever in one town where a whole generation of elders has been prematurely taken from their families by the virus. We all know that death is part of the natural order of things, but it went from a stately march where each elder who passes is given the sendoff they so richly deserve, to a waterfall of sadness for an entire generation swept away at once. And it has left the families without a chance to properly grieve for each individual. It really hit home for me emotionally. So before anything else I want to say that my heart goes out to everyone who has lost someone due to this. Or to anyone who may lose someone going forward. 

Then it made me think about my own situation. My wife and I are both over 60. And I’m experiencing some mobility issues due to a pinched nerve in my back. It’s something I’ve been dealing with for a few years now. Not totally debilitating; I simply can’t do everything I used to do without a second thought. But the bottom line is that this means I am now in an age-and-health bracket that puts me at higher risk than younger, healthier people. So, like most folks in Northern California, we took the shelter in place directive pretty seriously. Let us say we were early adopters. And we’ve tightened things up even more as things have unfolded. 

Given the reality of my situation, I have to say that I’m a bit saddened that I can’t do more. I mean, we have been doing what we can; we are doing everything in our power to make sure we stay healthy ourselves first. Although it may be selfish in some ways, it really is the most important thing we can do for the sake of everyone right now. As my NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team) training drilled into me, NERTS don’t get hurt. In other words, don’t make the problem worse by doing something stupid. So we’re hunkered down like everyone else. We do the little things we can do; we’ve been dropping off food to home-bound friends and we have helped our neighbors by picking up some stuff for them at the store. We also donated a couple of boxes of N95 masks we had from the last fire season. When I dropped them off at the nearest hospital collection center, I said I was sorry there were only 20. The guy there said, “You just helped 20 people stay safe.” That was a heartening thought. So we will continue to do what we can.

At the same time, I’ve also been thinking about what this all means and what life will be like once we get the coronavirus under control, develop a vaccine, or at least build up the “herd immunity” that will allow us to interact with the world again. In one sense, it feels like Mother Nature, seeing that we weren’t about to make any real changes to the way we live, decided to take matters into her own hands and send us all to our rooms to think about our behavior. (Pardon the anthropomorphism). Hopefully we won’t be like willful teenagers and fail to take  this “timeout” to heart. Because honestly, we’re going to have to make changes in the way we do things going forward. The brakes have been slammed on the wheels of industry. We have a chance to think about how and why we do things and what is truly important. Maybe it is time for a paradigm shift. 

What do I mean by that? Well, for starters, I think we need to change our measure of success for businesses. The current mode of thinking is profit-based and is measured by quarterly results. Everything is geared toward maximizing profits while ignoring long-term consequences, both financially and socially. There is an underlying assumption that a business is not successful if it doesn’t keep growing. But the only thing in nature that never stops growing is cancer. This focus on never-ending growth has spurred the merger and acquisition madness that has driven the corporate world for a number of years and has fostered a very narrow mindset geared toward quarterly results.

If we developed a more comprehensive set of metrics for measuring business success, it would go a long way toward enabling us to not only survive but to thrive. So what would those new metrics entail? For starters, accurately calculating the social and environmental costs of producing goods and services should be included as part of the overall measure of success. Businesses that have a sustainable model and produce predictably steady returns with as little negative environmental impact as possible should be rewarded as enthusiastically as companies are in their growth stage. 

So what does this mean, practically speaking? Let’s look at a specific business. The fossil fuel industry comes to mind in particular, because no matter what happens, it is unlikely that we will return to the same level of travel, either by plane or by cars. Combined with the crash in oil prices, the prospect for the stratospheric profits of the last decade or two may not be possible. Does this mean that we will stop driving entirely? That’s highly unlikely. But it does mean that how much we travel will change. It may even make it reasonable to look at how we travel, and why. We will always need to ship goods from place to place, but we can do this more efficiently. Coordinating shipments and never having a truck return to its point of origin empty would be a good place to start. And in designing or re-designing our cities, we can look to minimize the need to travel by creating “villages” where all your basic needs are available within walking distance. 

This is not a model that will work in rural areas; that’s a given. But we can and most probably will make natural changes to our habits. So while the long-term prospects for unending growth of the fossil fuel industry aren’t rosy, there’s no reason to think that they won’t continue to be a vital part of the economy for the foreseeable future, even as we develop new, more sustainable modes of travel. Horse and buggy gave way to the railroads, and those gave way to cars and trucks. Hybrid, electric, or hydrogen powered vehicles will gradually replace gas guzzlers. And the world will be a better place because of it. We can help to make it happen sooner. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how things are going to change. And my thoughts are certainly not intended to be an in-depth analysis of the way going forward. I simply want to encourage discussion of how we can not only survive, but thrive. We have been given a chance to slow down, take a deep breath and think about the kind of world we want to leave to future generations. To me, the question is whether we can develop a coherent vision of how we want things to evolve. All I am really suggesting is that we stop and think about things rather than simply trying to return to the way things were and let “the market” figure things out. To a certain degree, that’s going to happen anyway. But with well-thought-out policies, we can nudge development in a more sustainable direction. And with that, I’ll step off my soapbox. For now, at least. Hopefully, we can have a civilized discussion and avoid the polarized food fights that have become the norm. 

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