*

Introduction

Power, in its rawest form, bends and distorts.    It reflects the body depicted in Ascension as it strains against the scaffolding of control—and embodies the turbulent forces we inhabit.[1]    These elements frame a reflection not only on Venezuela’s struggles but on the universal gravity of power that entraps us all.    I wonder if blaming these forces oversimplifies a system thriving on collective complicity.    Can self-compassion hold us accountable without succumbing to guilt—when despair paralyzes?

Positioned between The Stream of Emery, a fable of renewal, and Unmasking Disappointment, an upcoming essay on historical reckoning, this story continues a journey through entanglement, responsibility, and the enduring search for self-liberation.^[2]

~

THE FETTERS OF POWER

I

While my husband drove from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando, I had a conversation with my friend BBT.    It was one of those unsettling conversations that reveals how vast forces can overwhelm us.    He spoke of power, not as a tool, nor even as a desire, but as the primal force that pushes humanity toward authoritarian oligarchies.    Greed, according to him, is secondary, a symptom of something deeper:    the irresistible gravity of power itself.

II

I thought of Michel Foucault and his theories on power, and for a moment, I felt a flash of clarity.     But the more I tried to articulate his ideas, the more inadequate they seemed.        The weight of reality crushes academic musings as the world descends into ruin.      We fail to recognize ourselves as creatures trapped by our own errors.

III

Then, I remembered my cousin Ivelisse’s voice, trembling while holding back tears, as she recounted Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration, January 10.     For her, it was not just a political event; it was a symbol of our fall, of our dissolution as a people.     Her despair was mine, and ours was Venezuela’s—a nation habitually entrusting faith in saviors who never arrive.

IV

Across the world, power and greed—legitimized by crime or not—justify the rise of tyranny.   And we, in our confusion, have no answers in the face of these tides of unchecked ambition.

 V

BBT, ever pragmatic, said simply:   “Just enjoy yourself.”    His advice both stung and comforted me.   But how could I?    How could I enjoy anything when the world feels so fragile?   Every thought circles back to the same questions:   What can I do to counteract these forces?    How can I make sense of this struggle?

 VI

Still, I cling to one belief:  that one day, a collective awakening will emerge, a rising tide of awareness.   If there is to be a better world, it will not come from saviors or struggles for power, but from an alignment of minds and hearts.   My role, if I have one, is to contribute to that legacy—not for fame or ambition, but for peace.

 VII

Peace is what I seek, not only for myself but for others: a legacy that transcends my own life, one that serves as a quiet resistance to the forces of greed and power.    Only then, perhaps, will I find the simplicity BBT spoke of—not as surrender, but as understanding.

Postscript

It is easy to lose sight of the deeper currents that drive us, particularly when we are immersed in the tides of ambition, power, and cynicism.     In moments of crisis, these forces surge, often obscuring our judgment and steering us off course.     Yet, amidst their overwhelming presence, one truth remains:     surrendering to love sustains us.

Ultimately, what really matters is love.    It alone sustains us above all else.    It can anchor us against the forces that threaten to lead us astray.

Perhaps with that recognition is where peace begins—not in the world outside or its lack of validation, but in the quiet acceptance of what we can change, and what we cannot.

~

Endnotes:

[1]   “Ascension,” CGI, 2005, https://www.ricardomorin.com/06_3-D_html/01.html , Artist’s website’s repository https://www.ricardomorin.com/3-d-digital.html

[2]   Ricardo Morín, “The Stream of Emery,” WordPress, December 29, 2024, https://observationsonthenatureofperception.com/2024/12/29/the-stream-of-hermes/

 

Ricardo F. Morin Tortolero, January 14, 2025; Oakland Park, Florida.

Billy Bussell Thompson, February 14, 2025, New York City