Our
Spiritual Task
“The
spiritual task of life is to feed hope.”
Joan
D. Chittister
There are
scientists who say that climate change is a done deal, and in all likelihood it’s
too late for us to do anything constructive to stop it. In The End of Ice:
Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Disruption, journalist
Dahr Jamail takes readers on a journey to some of the most magical places on
the planet to see what climate disruption (his preferred term) has done to
them. His conclusion—the earth is most likely in a hospice situation and we
need to find ways to sit with her and grieve as we would if our beloved were
dying.
I know
he has done the research and knows close up what the facts are about the
destruction to the planet and extinction of our fellow beings—thousands of
species have already become extinct—but I have a hard time giving up hope. Hope
alone will not change anything, but perhaps it will motivate us to find ways to
preserve what’s left of our world. One thing is for certain, we must change our
consumer-driven ways, stop burning fossil fuels, and stop tearing up the earth
to gather her resources for ourselves.
I know
that human beings do not intentionally destroy their own habitat. Most are just
trying to scratch out a living and feed their families. Whether intentional or
not, though, we are doing it. Of course, there are those who are intentional,
who feel it’s their perfect right to drill for oil in pristine wilderness and
don’t care how much damage is done to human or wildlife habitat. But what I
remember is the positive changes that happened as a result of our being shut in
for a few weeks. How quickly animals adapted, and how clear the air became without
the constant flow of traffic spewing out carbon emissions. Even the hole in the
ozone began to heal itself.
The first
step toward rescuing our motherland, planet Earth, is to accept our role in her
destruction. We can make small changes that will add up. Not setting our
thermostats on 65, for instance, and making the effort to recycle everything
that can be recycled. We can encourage development of alternative sources of
energy and limit our use of gas-guzzling cars. I have seen more people growing
some of their food this year than ever—small, front yard gardens have sprung up
all around my urban neighborhoods. We can think more about what and how much we
consume, and how it’s produced. In other words, we can become conscious consumers.
This
may sound like a “liberal” agenda to many, but I see it as a “survival” agenda.
I want this beautiful, mystical planet to be here for the children of the
future—not just man-made water parks, but waterfalls in majestic forests, not
just jet skis racing across polluted lakes, but rivulets of clean, clear water
rolling over moss rocks. It may be idealistic to think there is still hope for
saving the planet, but I will bet my life on it. In fact, my life, and your
life, and your children’s lives depend on it. How precious are they to you? How
precious is life itself?
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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