By studying the history of living systems and their natural life cycles, Wheatley has discovered that every living system goes through a life cycle: birth, creativity, flowering, harvesting, and then death. It was no surprise for her to realize that every civilization goes through this life cycle as well. She points out that we are at the end of a cycle and she warns us: “It’s important that we understand where we are in the pattern of collapse and not throw up our hands in despair (which is part of it – the acceptance) . . . but to understand: Now that this is happening, who do I choose to be?” Wheatley gives this advice for these perilous times: “We hold ourselves accountable for being present, for being good listeners, for not entering into every situation with a need to fix somebody or something. Instead, we must bear witness, be present, and in that, we are reminding people of the better qualities of being human. . . [It] has always puzzled me in the past how people in terrible situations describe their experience as joyful. And now I know what they’re talking about which is that they are experiencing a deep sense of communion, of connection with what it means to be human, and that is always joyful no matter what’s going on in your external life.”
