Epistle #1 Genesis

January 1, 2010

This year represents for me the beginning of the trinity of years that will define the future of the human family, and our partners in creation; that is all creatures who have been given life by the ruach elohim, the breath of the Creator. I will write weekly from January 1, 2010 until December 24, 2012. This three year period is the most significant block of time in my lifetime and I will pay homage to those who along the way have lifted me up and emboldened me to write and speak about this wonderful fragile island home we call creation.

I am one small voice amid the cacophony of sound blinding us to the reality of a gifted creation collapsing one calved glacier at a time. My voice may not be heard, and if heard discounted, but I am remiss if I do not ride through the tangled web of information and speak truth to power as I know it; for if I remain silent I let my children and grandchildren down. I have been complicit in the mess we are in; I am contrite and seek with this New Years resolution to do all in my power to reverse the process underway by affirming legendary David Brower’s admonition to bring CPR to our only home – conservation; preservation and restoration.
I look on my inherited garden, and will do so during the next 156 weeks as I write an epistle for your edification or criticism. Your anger at me, appreciation for me, belittlement, or disdain will not diminish nor enhance my resolve for I have with my own eyes witness creation collapsing on Cape Cod, my baseline, benchmark, and environmental point of reference for the last 67 years.

As I watch the National Geographic Channel in awe as to what is being documented around the globe, I realize as the huge chunks of ice and snow crash into the sea the attending noise is deafening, yet few are hearing its message. The earth is an intricate puzzle, and as John Donne reminded us years ago, ‘if a clod be washed away by the sea Europe is the less,’ and every crash of ice tells the story of a diminishing planet. The earth puzzle is an inter-related fabric, a design of incredible beauty, awe and majesty containing creatures great and small, in balance with nature’s bounty – an inherited puzzle where all belong, and one that has worked harmoniously to sustain life for eons of time. Today the pieces of the puzzle rapidly cascade in ever increasing amounts through our fingers and to the ground. The human family blessed with reason, memory and skill is unique in this creation, yet even we with our brains of immense ability can not, even with all the kings horses and all the king’s men, put the puzzle back together again. That being said, I honor and affirm the astounding efforts of millions of men and women dedicated to serving creation and creations offerings by living lightly on the planet and consciously recognizing one’s personal environmental footprint matters; but even to those dedicated rainbow warriors I encourage moving from personal change to systemic change as a focus overnight.

Every day is a gift. There is no discrimination when it comes to one day to the next for they all offer the potential for a self-affirming willingness to make a difference.

But, we can no longer rest on words, more scientific studies, or personal behavioral changes – though all are important and should continue. To remain as the ostrich with our head in the sand is equivalent to the behavior of lemmings running headlong into the sea, en masse.

To do nothing:

1. about over-population,

2. the ridiculous policies of church bodies,

3. the corruption within our political system to perpetuate the status quo,

4. industrial agriculture and its grip on world food supplies,

5. the no-limits to growth capitalism that is unsustainable,

6. the selfish consumerism promoted as a right by birth in this country,

7. the misguided belief that personal salvation is sufficient in God’s eye,

8. the discounting of human behavior that has caused climate change and a warming of the planet,

9. the lack of justice where an obese population uses a disproportionate amount of the earth resources while millions are malnourished

10. and the absence of sacrifice, thrift, and service as the cornerstone of any environmental or patriotic ethic

Yes, these are some of the major sacred cows no one wants to talk about and if you do you are labeled, tarred and feathered, and eye contact disappears, even among friends. So here we go – unreasonable, unrelenting, and irascible from age 67 – 70; yes 2010 to 2012.

A commitment on behalf of all grandchildren; including mine: Theo, Belle and Megan.