Fall brings the turn of the leaves, crisp air and sometimes fog, winding in and out of autumn trees, laying low in mountain meadows or hovering over lakes and bays. A silky, soft white fog mimics how the path in life can sometimes be obscured and the way forward can be hard to see. Just as the fog appears to block our progress, life can feel unclear, uncertain with no discernible way to go.

Fog may feel uncomfortable, scary even, but only because we hold on to the belief we should always be in control, always know what’s going on, always know which way to turn. It seems a problem, a thing to fix or fight to be had to get rid of the unknown.

When we accept the unknown as a steady part of life, it becomes a normal occurrence, sometimes confusing and unsure of which way to turn, but a natural way to slow down, be more thoughtful and pay more attention. In these circumstances, moving forward with care, with openness, slowly, watching for what feels right is the solution.

Where fog is part of nature, there is a problem made by humans which can only be resolved by humans. It’s an environment of ugly, dangerous smog which today is thick and choking the life out of America, a haze which seems to be covering our country in a toxic, unhealthy blanket, smothering anything that is good, riling all that is noxious, hurt, vulnerable, fearful and angry as it travels, pulling all into it’s appalling clutches. The smog is insidious, lurking, finding it’s way into the homes of average Americans, telling lies, grooming unaware people for it’s greedy purposes.

I think many people feel lost right now, caught in a trap with no apparent way to escape. Yes, the path is obscured, but whether it’s hidden by fog or smog makes a huge difference in how you deal with the stuckness. How can you tell if you are enveloped in fog or smog? Which way to turn? The answer is actually pretty easy to figure out. Look at how you feel. If your foggy path is yearning to express love, compassion and empathy, if the fog feels velvet, smooth and caring, you’re fog is part of nature and you are on the path to making the world a better place.

If your path harbors anger, hatred or fear, if you are shunning large groups of people, fearful because of where they come from or the color of their skin, if you are worried about those you aren’t buying into your version of life, you have been coopted, likely unaware, into the smog. It can be hard to tell because the story is believed to be true by so many of your friends and you see people on TV and the radio expressing your same views. If you listen carefully though, you’ll hear the fear, the anger, the worry the world will be destroyed unless everyone comes to your way of thinking. Many Americans are heavy in the smog today.

There may be people who are well educated, seemingly reasonable folks, but listen carefully, what is their message? If it is one of fear, of certainty they have the answers, if only everyone would do what they want – run the other way. Life does not work that way. Solutions are always trial and error. Find those who do not have all the answers but know how to be successful while championing the values of caring and inclusion, where the road forward is built with compassion. Clear out the fear of the smog and embrace the mystery of the fog.

Be sure to know, history shows, the sun always comes out eventually. We hope for sooner rather than later, and yet, at times the fog seems to last forever, but, the sun does come out. The sun is always there, it’s only obscured from view.

The path is one step at a time, with love.