A while ago I found myself depressed, upset, even crying sometimes, and having bad dreams. It was around a lot.
It took a while for me to realise what it was.
It was the climate, the environment, our planet, the future, my 3-year-old grandson’s future.
Of course, I’ve known about all this for a while. For a long while.
I just hadn’t realised how alone I felt in it all.
To try to engage more I’d started reading a book called “Climate” by Charles Eisenstein. Fascinating, insightful, hopeful and challenging. But I got stuck (a few weeks back) and it had sat there: with my bookmark in it.
And I sat here: depressed, upset, stuck, not knowing what to do, in and out of helplessness.
A few weeks ago, we were having a meal with some friends.
Halfway through the meal, the feelings of upset and helplessness swept over me again …
… then something shifted …
“There’s something specific I’d like to talk about. I’m really scared about the future and I don’t know what to do. It’s about the climate and environment. And I’m curious how all that is for you?”
We had a long conversation.
At the end we were, of course, no nearer to any solutions. But I felt calmer, more engaged and no longer so alone. And I think it helped others to engage a little more.
At that moment I decided that, from then on, I’d talk to everyone I met about “OUR elephant in the room”.
What next?
I will be sending emails like this out regularly. I will share mine and other people’s journeys – practical ideas – reasons to be hopeful – reasons to take this seriously – things that inspire me.
I hope that you might find something useful in them.
Some of you will not have heard from me for ages – maybe even years. If this email is in any way inappropriate, I apologise. Let me know and I won’t send any more.
Postscript
A few weeks after that meal, Sally and I attended an “Extinction Rebellion” meeting in our local village hall. It’s a movement committed to changing our response to the climate situation. I believe it will make a difference.
You may not have heard about it … you WILL hear about it on Monday!
Google it – read about it – or come to London in the next two weeks!
Extinction Rebellion’s website – a BBC article around this time
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