Every empire has its place in the arc of history, its notch in the timeline. I sense that what we are seeing is the beginning of the end of the American empire.
While the ending of an empire tends to be messy and ugly, it also eventually leads to the birth of something new. So I am both concerned and optimistic.
I am concerned about the short-term, the years of upheaval and conflict which may be coming. Change is always messy and painful.
But I am equally if not more optimistic for the longer arc of human history. Every death and rebirth brings lessons and perspective. And while I don’t believe the next chapter of human history will be without problems, my hope and belief is that it will look better than this one.
For the better part of the 20th Century, the United States was one of the epicenters of the the world. By the end of this century, and maybe sooner, I do not believe that will be true, at least not in the way it has been.
As a nation, we think too highly of ourselves and suffer from self-aggrandizement. In the previous century, we often used our power to help the rest of the world. We seem to be moving towards a more self-centered approach and fear has only added fuel to this fire. As is says in Proverbs 16;18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Whether a person, a nation, or the world, the truth is that often the only way to find healing and rebirth is to experience acute pain first. I believe that is where we are today. Our nation needs to heal, but we may have to navigate some painful times of loss and conflict to experience a rebirth. I’m hopeful what is born looks better than what is beginning to die.
I won’t live to see that day, but I invite you to join me in bringing whatever peace, joy, and kindness we can into the chaos. We must be realists and fight for what is right, but we must also do it in a way that plants seeds for a better and more beautiful tomorrow, even when we can’t see over the horizon.
Breaking Into Peace 