When I am Among the Trees by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees, 
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks, and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness. 
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment, 
and never hurry through the world 
but walk slowly, and bow often. 

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,”
they say, “and you, too, have come
into the world to do this, to go easy,
to be filled with light, and to shine.”

Mary Oliver

Let It Go by Dana Faulds

Let go of the ways you thought life would unfold, the holding of plans or dreams or expectations – Let it all go.

Save your strength to swim with the tide.

The choice to fight what is here before you now will only result in struggle, fear, and desperate attempts to flee from the very energy you long for.

Let go. Let it all go and flow with the grace that washes through your days whether you received it gently or with all your quills raised to defend against invaders.

Take this on faith; the mind may never find the explanations that it seeks, but you will move forward nonetheless.

Let go, and the wave’s crest will carry you to unknown shores, beyond your wildest dreams or destinations.

Let it all go and find the place of rest and peace, and certain transformation.

Resources for Climate Action

Here are a few resources I have been collecting on my climate journey. There are many others; the important thing to do is to start. Write back if I can support you in taking a first step.

• Climate Action Lists: from Paul Hawken’s book Regeneration

• Books

  • All We Can Save-Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katherine K. Wilkinson (allwecansave.earth). See post Every Job is a Climate Job below for info on starting your own circle at work.

  • Speed and Scale- An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now by the venture capitalist John Doerr. www.speedandscale.com

  • The Ministry For the Future, a novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, a

  • Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and evangelical Christian

  • The Climate Action Book, A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions for Everyone by Heidi Roop

  • Not Too Late- Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua

• Podcasts:

  • Outrage&Optimism

  • How to Save a Planet

  • A Matter of Degrees

  • My Climate Journey

• Movie and action website: Don’t Look up by the director Adam McKay, available on Netflix, a satire about the climate crisis and the apathetic response of our society and governments and its associated website in partnership with Count Us In for taking action.
  

• Project Drawdown: A list of climate solutions and how to get involved
  

• Activism for people 60 and over: Third Act! with Bill McKibben, a community for experienced Americans who want to engage with the climate crisis.
  

• Carbon Offsets: Wren.co, projects to invest in to offset your carbon footprint

  If you have any feedback on any of these resources, please write back.