On this day of honoring our men and women in the armed forces, two days after an historical and troubling election, many of us are feeling a complex brew of emotions. We want to be hopeful, feel confident, safe and at ease, but something just isn't letting us settle. We know we have a country full of great and diverse people, a military of amazingly brave individuals willing to sacrifice their lives for this wonderful country's freedom...so what gives? Why are we feeling shaken?
I believe it is because we are tuned in to the drama and trauma of our nation's problems and we feel overwhelmed and helpless. Pipeline or no pipeline, foreign oil or clean energy, conflict or withdrawal, blue or red, wall or open door, woman and man, woman vs man or no such thing as the traditional definitions of woman and man. As we get mired down with these HUGE issues, we aren't sure exactly where to FOCUS our attention. Where can we as individuals do something significant and immediate that reflects our values and deep desire for our children to grow up in a safe and peaceful society? The answer is in NATURE.
Nurturing the natural environment is a STRONG ACTION that benefits ALL OF US in immediate and long lasting ways. We all need resources:clean water, fresh air, healthy food, good soil, regulated climates and stocked oceans. We are all responsible for these resources: how much we consume, how well we clean up after ourselves, how we intermingle with our natural environment.
So here are some easy concrete steps you can take today. Pick one or more, invent your own, just DO something.
1.Pick up litter. I like to make it a family outing at the park and compete for who collects the most trash. Winner gets an ice cream or song download or big hug or ...
2.Stand with Standing Rock. This is a situation in which all our nation's water is affected indirectly. Support financially, go physically or promote virtually. Supporting our First Nation's wisdom is crucial during this time.
3. Support business practices that are proven to be environmentally friendly. Products with no artificial ingredients, manufactured in a zero energy plant, fair trade, organic or locally grown- buy these to vote with your dollar. MANY companies have changed how they do business because of the way we have changed how we do business.
4. Car share, bike, walk, take public transport or buy carbon credits. For more information visit : http://www.goldstandard.org/resources/faqs
5. Find a sit spot. Go to the same exact location in nature every week for an entire year. Developing an intimate relationship between you and the natural world will instruct you what to do next to help your ecosystem. You will notice and you will respond.
6-100: I can keep going, but my baby just awoke and I want to hear from you. What easy, everyday action will you choose to FOCUS on today for the sake of your family, my family and everyone else's future family so that we may all grow up in a beautiful world with enough access to clean resources?
