We're at a climate change crossroad and we have to make a conscious choice in turbulent times: Will we, as individuals and communities, shrink or will we grow?
This is one of the best pieces I have read about the importance of responding as I try to stave off the temptation of catatonic surrender to the post-24 us election results and the mid Cop -29 dismay.
Karen, thanks for speaking to this moment with exactly the expansive view we need. I not letting it drag me down this time around. Viktor Frankl’s words still move us forward—Navalny’s laughter still echoes out of the prison walls. This is still our time. It may seem dark, but we always hold the light in our hands.
I have been thinking this morning about the need to feel all the hurt, and hold it while at the same time remembering the possibilities for healing, for a healthy world, for connection, for action. I too feel fortunate for voices that nudge me toward openness, rather than closing down, succumbing to numbness - yours among them.
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(I have that Sarah McLachlan album! - From the period in life when I found her music, another voice that has seen me through difficult timesis Lui Collins (Baptism of Fire, There's a Light, For Real...) https://www.luicollins.net/theres-a-light-lyrics/
Hi Linda, Thanks for your comment -- and for sharing Lui Collins' song. I finally had a "thanksgiving moment" to listen to it. Remembering the possibilities is important at this time -- and music is helping me to do that.
Yes. Since the election I’ve begun a leadership position with a beautiful grassroots international network for glacier advocacy that is thawing my own freeze response and giving me tremendous expansive energy every day. It’s trans-local, disciplinary, multi-modal, and incredibly joyful work, and we are getting ready to welcome others into this growing network. Connection, potential, collaboration, this is what this moment asks for and it is the way we will get through.
I love it! Glacier advocacy to thaw our own freeze responses. That's a beautiful way to look at it, and thanks to you and your network for advocating for the glaciers.
Very thought provoking article Karen, thank you for this!
We as individuals and our individual communities is all we have moving forward. It is after all, all we have ever had.
The mention of any president or global organisation in coming to save the day, or on the contrary, bringing on a disaster leading to doom and gloom, takes away from the power of the individual and the local communities. It has always been that way.
We are at a critical point in time, there is no doubting that!
Trump, Putin, Gates or Musk have zero power without our attention. The UN, WHO and COP have zero power with all our attention.
Only those in our physical presence can thrive with our attention, or suffer without it, is and should only be our focus as individuals.
From this perspective, all the power is in our individual hands to do what is right and withdraw from handing our responsibilities over to others.
It is no one else's fault but our own when we think we know more about the world when we know less about our own communities and municipalities.
Thanks for sharing those insights about attention, responsibility, and the power of individuals, Anthony! It is all too easy to outsource responsibility and forget what we can as individuals and communities.
This is one of the best pieces I have read about the importance of responding as I try to stave off the temptation of catatonic surrender to the post-24 us election results and the mid Cop -29 dismay.
Karen, thanks for speaking to this moment with exactly the expansive view we need. I not letting it drag me down this time around. Viktor Frankl’s words still move us forward—Navalny’s laughter still echoes out of the prison walls. This is still our time. It may seem dark, but we always hold the light in our hands.
Thanks! I will remind myself of your powerful words -- "This is still our time."
Thank you for these beautiful words, Karen.
I have been thinking this morning about the need to feel all the hurt, and hold it while at the same time remembering the possibilities for healing, for a healthy world, for connection, for action. I too feel fortunate for voices that nudge me toward openness, rather than closing down, succumbing to numbness - yours among them.
---
(I have that Sarah McLachlan album! - From the period in life when I found her music, another voice that has seen me through difficult timesis Lui Collins (Baptism of Fire, There's a Light, For Real...) https://www.luicollins.net/theres-a-light-lyrics/
Hi Linda, Thanks for your comment -- and for sharing Lui Collins' song. I finally had a "thanksgiving moment" to listen to it. Remembering the possibilities is important at this time -- and music is helping me to do that.
Yes. Since the election I’ve begun a leadership position with a beautiful grassroots international network for glacier advocacy that is thawing my own freeze response and giving me tremendous expansive energy every day. It’s trans-local, disciplinary, multi-modal, and incredibly joyful work, and we are getting ready to welcome others into this growing network. Connection, potential, collaboration, this is what this moment asks for and it is the way we will get through.
I love it! Glacier advocacy to thaw our own freeze responses. That's a beautiful way to look at it, and thanks to you and your network for advocating for the glaciers.
Very thought provoking article Karen, thank you for this!
We as individuals and our individual communities is all we have moving forward. It is after all, all we have ever had.
The mention of any president or global organisation in coming to save the day, or on the contrary, bringing on a disaster leading to doom and gloom, takes away from the power of the individual and the local communities. It has always been that way.
We are at a critical point in time, there is no doubting that!
Trump, Putin, Gates or Musk have zero power without our attention. The UN, WHO and COP have zero power with all our attention.
Only those in our physical presence can thrive with our attention, or suffer without it, is and should only be our focus as individuals.
From this perspective, all the power is in our individual hands to do what is right and withdraw from handing our responsibilities over to others.
It is no one else's fault but our own when we think we know more about the world when we know less about our own communities and municipalities.
Thanks for sharing those insights about attention, responsibility, and the power of individuals, Anthony! It is all too easy to outsource responsibility and forget what we can as individuals and communities.