3,2,1 Happy 2020!
The tone that emerged at new year was one of disparity, the genesis of a what would turn into a global pandemic, forcing our world to collapse below the weight of a near catastrophic pathogen. Incidences of an apocalyptic magnitude have since layered themselves on our planet, leaving me to question our role in dooms day. Natural disasters such as the Australian bush fires, floods in Indonesia, earthquakes in Turkey & the Caribbean and volcano eruptions in Taal (to name a few) sting of repercussion for our role in being environmentally negligent, dripping of disdain and entitlement.
Fuelled by excess, our abundant lifestyle far exceeds essentialism, so much so that we manipulate and coerce the planet, bending natural laws and defiling natural order. In the absence of a codified law letter, we exploit our vital resources to their upper limit, like vampires – bleeding the planet dry, a “victimless” crime.
Introspectively, I’m sensing that there is a new a sheriff in town, disgruntled, disgraced and seeking vindication.
As a parent, I think more acutely regarding the trajectory of our environment, specifically my generational impact and the state in which we’re leaving the world to my daughter. As a species, we seem indifferent to the science of global warming even though we bear witness to its’ input daily through climate change. Is it that it’s uncomfortable to face our looming hard reality or that we’re too cowardly to assume responsibility for multi-generational deterioration. Are we solution-less or solution-phobic? Our rejection of social Darwinism is imperious, believing that our high and mighty species is exempt from natural laws. Elitist presumption at its finest.
Self indulgent and confectionery, our lifestyle has instigated planetary decay, depleting its fluoride- left vulnerable and devitalized. I find myself tree hugging, being mindful of what I use, the quality of food I put into my body and the downstream impact of choices that I’m making for M. To be clear this is something that I have dabbled in for years, yo-yoing back and forth until I could no longer afford to, until my body dug its’ heals into the ground and retaliated.
In many ways 2020s Zeitgeist is facilitating a shift in mindfulness, forcing a freeze frame that leaves us to wonder if the pace we have been moving at is sustainable or even viable. As a result of social distancing, our skies are clearer, less polluted, families are spending time with one another, our sepia is coloured by simply enabling technology that was triggered but never mass committed to. The virtual lever has been pulled and our global operations are re-evaluating the value proposition submitted by a remote workforce- both from a workplace safety and work-life balance standpoint. As we move operationally, a cultural transformation is bound to follow -what I hope with be the expulsion of negative “virtual” stigma as well as the enablement of pro-life technology.
The shift is not 1 person mediated or even nationally- the worlds people must step back and look for blindspots in our flight plan. Understanding our current landscape, where we’re deficient and how to improve guided by people and planetary consciousness.
Beyond this, what are you doing with this time? Whether you’re part of the essential workforce, WFH or unemployed- how are you playing your cards ? Are you strategic with the time that you have or are you latent ?
I have been pushing the boundaries of what I erroneously suspected my body was capable of. Realizing that I am not broken, I am healing. I have re-invited the sounds of the outdoors, birds chirping, the snap of shoes on the pavement, realizing incremental progress and inching further each day- reinvigorated, reimagined and recovering…
My legs revolt and quiver 4 km into the trail funnelled between deciduous forest, contemplating calling for a ride and then recalling the many times my plea went unheard to be freed from the confines of a vehicle, a room, a quarantined lockup. Now I am. I’m out here, smelling the fresh clean air- sweet and natural unlike the chemical impound of my sterile bubble. And so I continued and finished near 6km later. Brand me the consummate camminatore.
2020s zeitgeist blasts a change tone, a musical tirade of head banging heavy metal -making us uncomfortable, awakening us from a millennial coma.
A hardwired pessimist turned optimist, I believe in our ability to turn the dial starting from our domain. I know first handedly that I am not always driving aspects of my life, a calloused reality. In this, the ability to effect positive change becomes’ increasingly powerful, action breed of inaction. I would implore all of you readers to take this into consideration, as consumers, friends, family, most importantly – as humans.
The runway is long and turbulent but we can take off or drop off. The grand calculus of our life is summed up in the impact we make in our world- are we leaving it better than we found it? Im motivated to do so and I believe that this is a genuine human characteristic, as is the fear of lowering our comfort level- life altering diminution.
At this point, the sheriff is indifferent to our discomfort as seen in natural insurgence.
Change is on the horizon. How will you respond? For me, this involves being cognizant of my giving in relation to my taking, looking at cost beyond currency with a value placed on energy expended, mental strain and joy gained.
By Nonnas creed, I fully intend on maintaining a value system that will uplift my daughter to the upper echelon of this world, surrounding her with people that are similarly value apt.
You know…ducks of a feather flock together.
For me, this translates into taking pride in a garden, a source of nutritious food, and life long labor of love that my Nonni cultivated. A symbol of what can be achieved with an unyielding work ethic.
If we can’t leave this world a little better than when we came into it, what’s the point?. I don’t want to be remembered as a free loading chooch.
Most importantly, that’s not the message I want communicated to M.
So sheriff, I think we’ve got the point – flagrant disregard will no longer be permitted.
Acknowledged and shared. Thanks for doing your part.
Regards,
The Hopeful Motif 