2021 is the time for us to begin “dreaming into existence” the world as we’d like to see it. It’s time to stop focusing on the biased, so-called “news” (of whatever philosophical or political leaning) that has us all bound up with fear, chasing our tails in a circle, staying confused and inept, and ‘at war’ with others. The people behind the news are just trying to make a dollar or ruble or yen, or use you for their political or power gains. They don’t care what their stories do to the readers, as long as they sell fear: fear sells products and power. In 2021, it’s time for us to stop coming from fear and misinformation, and start coming from love and truth….what we absolutely know is absolutely true.
Each of us has the ability to create new objects, processes, schedules, wishes and wants for the planet as well as ourselves. I’d suggest that my own number one dream for the planet is that it be run by leaders who are motivated by love for the planet, love for its people and sentient beings, and love for its natural resources, and those who speak truthfully when they speak. As a corollary dream, I would wish that those in power in any sphere, who are psychopaths and sociopaths be exposed, disempowered, and put somewhere where they can no longer do any harm to anyone.
It’s long past time for every day people who love the planet, love their favorite: fishing hole, woodland, river, stream, desert, mountain, lake and pond, to begin the work of preserving the beauty and intrinsic goodness of these resources. Partly this includes a voluntary reduction in the use of any and all planetary resources. Can you do without all those electric lights burning in every room in the house with no one near, the heat cranked up to 74F in the middle of winter (or air conditioning down to 65F in the summer), just because you can ‘afford’ it? Can the planet afford it? Can you do without the $75,000 SUV that still gets 20 miles per gallon of gas? Maybe it’s time to put the future generations’ survival ahead of our own need to slop around in unnecessary luxury.
Can you recycle? Can you reuse? Can you repurpose? Can you increase your spiritual footprint and decrease your material footprint? It’s time.
It’s time to plant a garden, so that fossil fuels aren’t used to fertilize that agri-business field, harvest that vegetable or fruit, move it into warehouses, and truck it across the country. At least not all the time. If you’ve ever tried growing things you’ll know that it’s a ‘work in progress’ and that your motto should be ‘fail better next year!’ We’ll still need some of those cross-country agricultural products for a while. Nonetheless, anything you eat out of your garden or out of your yard, or out of a local Community Supported Agriculture farm, is one less thing that is produced and shipped commercially with the waning fossil fuels and the waxing pollution. Here at home we’ve been able to eat: some cherries, goumi berries (look them up), peaches, Asian pears, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, Halls Hardy almonds, figs, one crop of hazelnuts, asparagus, sorrel, garlic chives and rhubarb to name the perennials. Annuals this past year included: bok choi, purple potatoes, carrots, sage, oregano, lots of red chard, kale, collard greens, zucchini, and butternut squash (which I’ll be having with dinner tonight, it stores well). It’s taken ten years to get this far, though I must admit that I’m not particularly adept at growing things.
There is so much we can do to improve the planet AND make our lives better. Reducing our consumption doesn’t mean reducing our enjoyment. In fact, many people who are doing with less have noticed that their quality of life is better, not worse. Spending time with nature, with living creatures, and real people in the same room, makes life richer and it’s a kind of richness of affection that can’t be reduced by a loss of income.
As we begin 2021, what dreams would you like to dream into Being for the sake of the planet, nature, and your own local community. Dream big, and then start right at home to make those dreams a reality.
Here’s to love and truth in 2021,
Jonathan