Happy mid October my readers! I just recovered from a 2 week illness, a cold that turned into a bad sinus infection complete with scary breathing sounds. Seems appropriate for Halloween month doesn’t it? Well, anyway, with the help of modern medicines I recovered and while out grocery shopping for the first time in a while, decided to reward myself for my health victory with some orange roses. Gorgeous! Never hesitate to treat yourself. Especially when you have overcome something challenging.

Let’s do an imagination exercise today shall we? If we don’t like the current situation of living in a dangerous society, we can always use our imaginations to transform our reality. Sometimes, when done often enough, those imaginings can become everyone’s reality. Today, I am going to imagine a society based around the safety of women first. Walking based communities with less emphasis on the roaring, racing engines of automobiles. Lots of basics shops centrally located with art and sculpture as part of the city planning. Fresher air, less fear of a racing car ending up in the windows of a store front. It’s safe to carry your purse, wear jewelry and greet strangers with a smile. Affordable housing that is pleasant and safe rings the edges of this community in concentric circles.

Secondly, this society values the safety and health of children above all else, including the right to own guns, over the right of children to play freely and get an education without fear of active shooters invading their learning space. I know this one will ruffle some feathers, however this is my imagination exercise, not yours. I’m sure you will create your own.

Thirdly, corruption is rooted out and quickly squashed. Everyone is expected to be a part of the society and do their part, no cheating, no short cuts, yet lots of community support as you build your life and ease into a well earned old age, where you feel safe, supported and respected.

Any technology that threatens the above goals is immediately destroyed for the sake of the peaceful, productive society. There is a cap on how much an individual can earn. Every amount above that cap goes back into the society to keep roads, buildings, gardens and transportation updated. (Oh, I hear some screaming loudly now!) Again, MY imagination exercise. You do yours.

Now, the point of this imagination exercise was to show that we all have the ability to imagine the future we want, the ways of working together and the joys of community that is beneficial to all. So if you feel stuck or frustrated, try writing out, or drawing out, your imagination exercise of what a productive peaceful society might look like. Who knows where the next positive innovation will come from? One thing I know for sure is, it will come from human minds that have exercised their imaginations for positive futures.

Peace, good food, long walks and many laughs with friends, until we connect again.

P.S. I have renamed my “Engaging art news” page to “Global art news” because it’s more accurate. That’s been updated today also. Enjoy!