In December, I got a book from the library. The Climate Book was put together by Greta Thunberg. (She’s the Swedish activist who started the global movement to demand action for climate change.)
I was surprised: My library had tons of copies.
The book is filled with articles written by climate scientists. Greta’s hope was that the reader would “connect the dots.” She succeeded. About ten articles in, I connected them. I understood the gravity of the situation. The Great Acceleration. The catastrophic tipping point that we seem to be dancing on – if it hasn’t already tipped.
That’s why on January 6th, I hosted an event called Earth Salon. My hope was to talk with friends and colleagues about it. To process the information and consider what I could do.
The next day, the L.A. fires began.
Red Flag Warnings. Masks. Air Quality Worries. Constant Checking of the Watch Duty App
My apartment was close to an evacuation warning zone. I spent four nights away. I began to understand the phrase “climate refugee.”
In the weeks since, the rest of the country has joined the crisis in this thing called the Inauguration. How will we meet this moment?
For me, the fires have been an initiation. A naivete within me died. And in its place, grief.
It feels like this. A wave of sadness. It overtakes me, a tsunami. And then there’s quiet for a day or two. Well being. It’s the eye of a storm. Another wave.
I’ve got tools to handle this: Spiritual connection and human support. The cuddle community is strengthening and the timing for that is perfect.
Do you also sense that this moment in time is an initiation? Let’s huddle together and help each other.
May we gather strength to do what’s next.
Photo by Sumit Saharkar