I am always tuned in to, and trying to boost the work of Indigenous Water Protectors from every nation and sector. They are responsible for the recent shut down of the Keystone XL oil pipeline which was illegal, in serious violation of treaties with several sovereign tribal nations, AND would have fucked up millions and millions and MILLIONS of gallons of water, which most creatures need so they don’t die. This news makes my heart burst with joy, emotion, and gratitude. I think of how these many movements and actions, related or separate,
That’s a lovely sight, of the alders breaking through those cells. I live in Oregon and the sidewalks and streets are terrible, and I like to think it’s because the trees are so mighty that as their roots flex deep in the ground it bunches the surface like bedsheets.
Thanks for these words today. Throw away this plastic or that plastic, recycle, reduce, reuse it. I do pretty well and now I can do more.
And water. Here Cali, near the 580 where you and I learned to to adapt to poor parenting and we used strange survival tools in seventh grade like shoplifting booze or burning things, we are going into another drought.
Not so bad for Cali if we didn’t send water off to SoCal, or if Nestle were to stop marketing their plastic single use water containers with our water in it.
Thanks for the talking about the ancestors who lived here first and the fight for stolen nations.
The protesters and loud voices that make us aware of how we are endangering the earth, the ecosystem, and ourselves should be certainly be honored. We need people in positions of leadership that will stop harmful projects before they even happen. The government shouldn't be an institution we fight against, it should be made up of people who care for others and the earth. We need to get involved in government: run for office, support ethical candidates, attend council meetings and speak, VOTE. It matters. Often, local issues are decided by just a few votes.
Those local candidates run for higher offices and if we stay involved, the government becomes what we need. It is so misaligned with the people's needs right now because too many of us stopped paying attention. Get involved.
And corporations can't survive without us. Stop supporting them. Support businesses with sustainable practices, support green energy, use mass transit, invest your money in solar panels, not a new car, buy local and organic, stop buying plastic (it's not recycled). It takes a little more of your energy, but it's not hard.
Just happened to read this after finishing The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich detailing her grandfather’s fight against Native dispossession. Icing on the cake.
Very cool - abundance, the actual wealth of the earth; vulnerability, the need to not just protect but also actually to recognize the substance of actual wealth
Thankyou so much for lifting up the beautiful, relentless and sacred work of water protectors. As always I adore your writing style and yes, Winona LaDuke is such a badass balm on the soul indeed! For what its worth I'm currently reading "Our History is the Future" by the ever prolific Nick Estes and just ordered "The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth". My favorite book to come back to again and again is "An Indigenous People's History of the US" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.
Speaking of bugs, I recall the day that bugs took on a more profound meaning to me. Have always avoided stepping on any creepy crawly thing in my path. But an observation one day in a garden years ago washed over me. I just sat relaxing, and encountered one of the biggest joys in all my years. I became obsessed by watching bees do their ballets from one bloom to another. How calming that was... I also zeroed in on a spider's web. It hit me just then despite any endeavor I've ever involved myself with, what magnificent an accomplishment a spider's web is. So overwhelming it was, I temporarily waxed on given the messy existence I was in at that juncture in life that "sheesh, there's more life accomplishment in what that tiny spider creates than anything I've put myself to." Perhaps a bit self deprecating a thought at that moment, but damn if it did not evolve my realization of being part of the web of existence within nature. Was grateful at least that I was not a meal entrapped in some web. Still, at times it can sure feel to as though life has taken a bite out of one and been spat out...! Should that dark muse manifest, I just take a pause and say to myself, "just think of the bugs man, the bugs..."
That’s a lovely sight, of the alders breaking through those cells. I live in Oregon and the sidewalks and streets are terrible, and I like to think it’s because the trees are so mighty that as their roots flex deep in the ground it bunches the surface like bedsheets.
Thanks for these words today. Throw away this plastic or that plastic, recycle, reduce, reuse it. I do pretty well and now I can do more.
And water. Here Cali, near the 580 where you and I learned to to adapt to poor parenting and we used strange survival tools in seventh grade like shoplifting booze or burning things, we are going into another drought.
Not so bad for Cali if we didn’t send water off to SoCal, or if Nestle were to stop marketing their plastic single use water containers with our water in it.
Thanks for the talking about the ancestors who lived here first and the fight for stolen nations.
The protesters and loud voices that make us aware of how we are endangering the earth, the ecosystem, and ourselves should be certainly be honored. We need people in positions of leadership that will stop harmful projects before they even happen. The government shouldn't be an institution we fight against, it should be made up of people who care for others and the earth. We need to get involved in government: run for office, support ethical candidates, attend council meetings and speak, VOTE. It matters. Often, local issues are decided by just a few votes.
Those local candidates run for higher offices and if we stay involved, the government becomes what we need. It is so misaligned with the people's needs right now because too many of us stopped paying attention. Get involved.
And corporations can't survive without us. Stop supporting them. Support businesses with sustainable practices, support green energy, use mass transit, invest your money in solar panels, not a new car, buy local and organic, stop buying plastic (it's not recycled). It takes a little more of your energy, but it's not hard.
Pick your metaphor:
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step;
One hundred pennies makes a dollar (my Grandfather would say this every time he picked up a coin from the sidewalk and us kids would get embarrassed);
You know what they call the candidate who wins by only one vote?; or
A grain of sand doesn't make a beach, but you can't make a beach without grains of sand.
Join the protest.
Lend your voice to the crowd.
Chip ing a dollar or a moment of your time.
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.
And vote.
Just happened to read this after finishing The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich detailing her grandfather’s fight against Native dispossession. Icing on the cake.
Very cool - abundance, the actual wealth of the earth; vulnerability, the need to not just protect but also actually to recognize the substance of actual wealth
Thankyou so much for lifting up the beautiful, relentless and sacred work of water protectors. As always I adore your writing style and yes, Winona LaDuke is such a badass balm on the soul indeed! For what its worth I'm currently reading "Our History is the Future" by the ever prolific Nick Estes and just ordered "The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth". My favorite book to come back to again and again is "An Indigenous People's History of the US" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.
Thanks again Neko, keep on keepin' on!
Speaking of bugs, I recall the day that bugs took on a more profound meaning to me. Have always avoided stepping on any creepy crawly thing in my path. But an observation one day in a garden years ago washed over me. I just sat relaxing, and encountered one of the biggest joys in all my years. I became obsessed by watching bees do their ballets from one bloom to another. How calming that was... I also zeroed in on a spider's web. It hit me just then despite any endeavor I've ever involved myself with, what magnificent an accomplishment a spider's web is. So overwhelming it was, I temporarily waxed on given the messy existence I was in at that juncture in life that "sheesh, there's more life accomplishment in what that tiny spider creates than anything I've put myself to." Perhaps a bit self deprecating a thought at that moment, but damn if it did not evolve my realization of being part of the web of existence within nature. Was grateful at least that I was not a meal entrapped in some web. Still, at times it can sure feel to as though life has taken a bite out of one and been spat out...! Should that dark muse manifest, I just take a pause and say to myself, "just think of the bugs man, the bugs..."
Thanks Neko
Water is Life!