Tuesday’s Tales!
My occasional collection of climate crises inspired ways forward using the arts and creativity to nurture community, awareness, and action.
Something that has inspired me recently:
I marched with an estimated couple thousand mostly school and college-aged humans this past Friday as part of the coordinated global climate strike. It was amazing to see so many empowered humans standing up for our collective future and taking to the streets. The march was a tour of center city Philadelphia and though I have mixed feelings about inconveniencing the working public (a topic for another time) it did feel profound to symbolically disrupt the daily flow in the city as the climate crises threatens to do to all of us. I plan on participating in as many strikes and Fridays for Future as possible from here on, and one of the projects I’m working on is geared specifically for making a large presence at strikes. Stay tuned for that! (hint: it involves a tightwire…)
What I’ve been reading:
“We Were Made for These Times” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
“My friends, do not lose heart. We were made for these times. I have heard from so many recently who are deeply and properly bewildered. They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world now. Ours is a time of almost daily astonishment and often righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people.”
This may be the single most empowering work I’ve encountered about standing up in times of crises and speaking our hearts. When I encountered it this week I immediately assumed it was written recently and in direct context of the climate crises. But after some further research, I discovered that this was written over 15 years ago and originally entitled “Letter To A Young Activist During Troubled Times”. I am floored. This is profound. It is empowering. And it is stunningly beautiful. I have re-read it numerous times over the last couple of days and it grows more poignant and wondrous with each reading. It is my sincere desire to see this read by everyone standing up for climate the world around ~ the following link takes you to the piece in its entirety.
http://www.grahameb.com/pinkola_estes.htm?fbclid=IwAR3sXXgA5UqteJk_C70SUKVEt1JxiEESYsRF25KZybNMmr7iOyPw-8-OPa4
What I’m thinking about / working on:
I have been ill this past week, change of the seasons and whatnot, and have watched our one-year-old daughter be sick as well. When you don’t have the tools yet to clear your own nose and you can’t breathe it’s got to be kind of freaky, but she’s been a real trooper. But taking care of her and self and household hasn’t left much time for larger projects. I’ve been plugging away at staying abreast of global developments and striving for balance throughout ~ this was the great work of the week, staying balanced with compromised health and an increasing flood of climate-related data. The passage has reminded me of how vital it is to ensure self-care in an increasingly stressed world. Take good care of yourself! We need healthy souls in order to not lose heart.
Quote of the Week:
I’m staying with Clarissa Pinkola Estes:
“What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take everyone on Earth to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale.”
I love how she’s talking about the 3.5%, but intuitively. The deep wisdom of her soul shines brightly and gives her this clarity to share with us, and I am grateful for her words. I’ve been saying a lot recently that every drop in the bucket counts, and eventually adds up to an overflowing vessel. That’s us right now, and even though there are signs of frustration (Greta saying “We have achieved nothing” at COP25 https://www.climatechangenews.com/2019/12/07/cop25-bulletin-achieved-nothing/ ) we do need to remind ourselves that it is always darkest before the dawn.
Share this with your friends and anyone you think would be inspired by it! You can also get this delivered directly to your inbox if you sign up for the newsletter. I am always open to feedback, suggestions, collaborative propositions, and simple Yo Eric how you doin type reaching out and connecting.
Because Life is too precious and precarious to not make the most of every single day.
I hope you have an empowered and creative week ~ Onwards Team Human!
Stand up and shine your light!