2012 is here. I have been waiting for this year. It used to be a dooms day prediction kind of waiting. I sunk into the hype of the end of time, a new culture forming, judgement day. A few weeks ago my best friend informed me the Mayan calendar actually ends at the end of 2012, the historians speculate. This made me somewhat relived that we had a whole year before dooms day happened.
I don't really believe the end of the world is happening but it does frighten and excite me to think this is such a momentous time in history. We as people have the power now to completely destroy our earth or completely radically change our rate of consumption and live in connection with and fostering our planet. We get to decide how much we care. We get to read the signs of global climate change that are affecting all of us. I see this in the 107 degree months of this Texas summer, also the snow blizzards and earthquake in the Northeast. I see the devastating affects of climate change that have happened and continue to happen in Southeast Asia and Japan.
Now is the time that we get to re-learn how to care for our plant families, how to be inspired by nature and love of the place we live. The other day I caught Sweetpea hugging a tree in the park. She was in complete awe of this amazing, living, trunk that stretched up to the sky, towering above her. I wonder if this sense of wonder about nature is inspired by the way I respond to trees? Is she mimicking my behavior? Perhaps, but I also see this action as innately human. Given the chance we will love and care for all living things. We will look beyond the veil of our bothersome emotions, grudges, and over stimulated systems, to really see how lucky we are to be alive and breathing in oxygen these trees give us.
I fear that most children's connection to place will look like a strip mall. That seems to be the paradigm set up for us born in the 80's. In a country where if one is to succeed one is supposed to move anywhere one can find a job and keep moving for work. In this way of life strip malls do look like the closest thing to familiar territory.
In 2012 I want to make a difference. I want to live more by my values and teach them to my child and to other peoples kids. I want to join the Sustainable Food Center of Austin and volunteer to teach organic gardening to children. I want to figure out how to save rain water at my house and use the extra water from my shower to flush the toilet. I want to teach people to see water as a precious resource. I want to build clothes drying racks for people to use instead of dryers. I have always had these values but I see this year as a call to action. I am becoming a part of the adult community of my generation, it is time to live life with the intention I want to see the human race heading in.
This is what I want for 2012, what about you?
Oh M, I love this. (I need to read your blog more often)... as always, inspiring and motivating! I really like that your goals are tangible and knowing you, totally going to happen! Living in Berlin, Germany, I have a different relationship to recycling, water consumption, etc. being that the system is already set up here so differently, but of course, being more conscientious is always a good thing. And yes, 2012 does inspire thoughts of end-of-the-worldness but I've also had some great conversations with people about how its not an end (as in we all blow up) but rather the end of an era, a time of great change. Obviously the earth is changing, faster than it normally would because of pollution, etc, but the earth is also meant to change and do believe it will find a way to heal (even if that means kicking us off), but what I think of in shifting eras is that technology is changing so fast and our sci fi future is soon (and currently) upon us. Its sad to see nature changing in many painful ways, but evolution is still there (don't think we can kill that) and I'm really excited to see what happens also. We are living in a great time of change, its true, and imagine what the world will look like in 20 years... I guess what I'm saying is, what is seen as negative changes and destruction also create room for new things in the world, is also exciting. My 2012 resolutions are to be in my body more (starting pilates/yoga and aqua fitness classes) and to be more spiritually open (joining a new group here that is German/English)- I also will start language classes and hopefully my MA, but anyways, body and spirit are top on my life. Sending lots of love and thanks for your thoughts and inspirations!!!
ReplyDeleteA few years back I was cynically lamenting the future of our country and especially our planet to my neighbor who has young children. He commented that maybe our children would find the solutions to our problems. This blog post proves him correct and gives me hope.
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