The answer? Denial, which is, among other things, an "ego defense"--which enables us to get through each day without screaming, tearing our hair out, or committing atrocities. But unfortunately denial leads to panic when reality hits home.

As I often tell people, faced with this bitter predicament, we have four options: Denial, Delusion, Despair, or Determination. Only the fourth is adaptive; the first three are dead-ends.

Determination to do what? What we, along with all other living beings on the planet, are naturally hardwired to do keep on keeping on, one day at a time, while growing gardens, growing community, and growing awareness.