Some Notes on the Midwest

When I was in India I had a sudden perception of a "wind." I had been contemplating life and grappling with the lessons of Buddhism for a little while, and then suddenly I had a moment of clarity. It was in this moment of clarity that I had an abstract vision of the earth with a steady wind always flowing over everything. In that moment things came together for me, and I realized the futility of worrying over small things in the face of such vastness. I realized the futility of concerning myself with the transience of life; that the wind will rush on, that all things will continue...I am just a drop of water in an endless ocean.
I was reminded of this perception of wind this morning as I was walking to work. The wind is relentless this morning! But then, it often is out here. The funny thing is, the midwest wind doesn't bring to me feelings of clarity. It doesn't make me feel at peace. There is something empty about the wind that blows here. It also reminds me of the futility of life, but there is no reassurance that things will go on and that there are greater forces beyond me. The midwest wind whispers of despair, of death and decay. It whispers of the endless ocean of prairie, of abandoned farms, of loss. It hints at nothing greater. It tells me that this is all there is. And that this is nothing.