You do not have to carry the world.

Technology is a blessing and a curse.

We can look up anything we could possibly want to know, like how long a sea turtle can hold its breath, in a manner of minutes. (It varies based on activity level— sleeping turtles can hold their breath for hours, breath holds during normal activity is more like 45 minutes for most species).

We can talk to someone in Australia, even if we live in the United States.

We can capture snippets of time like beautiful sunsets, our children’s laughter, and special moments with friends.

We can also get updates on what is going on in the world: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Over millions of years, our cells evolved to live in a tribe. We had very little contact, if any at all, with the outside world. Humans lived in tight communities, and worked together to create their village. Raising babies, hunting/gathering of food, building were all communal activities.

And, I imagine, everyone knew everyone’s business. Because of this connected living, if someone needed help, the village was there. Ailments, suffering, outbreak, attacks affected all of them because they all felt a responsibility to do something about any of their tribe in need.

Obviously, we no longer live in this small village setting in the modern world. But we’re still wired for it. Which means that whether we hear news from next door, hundreds of miles away, or even across oceans, we still want to react in the same way: we want to do something.

Here’s the truth, though: there are things that are not yours to carry. You do not have to pick up and crusade for everything. 

Your responsibility is to show up as the fullest version of you. That is what the world needs— you living out your purpose in life.

We can only control so much— and then we have to let go. 

We let go to create beauty. We let go to find peace.

We let go to live.

So vote. And watch the sunset.

Donate. And take care of your own wants + needs.

Pray. And laugh and sing and dance with your family.

Create the peace, the beauty, the world that you feel the most alive in.