Page 30 - seniors today november 2020
P. 30
Gaining strength One of the most beautiful things that one
But I learnt that our life couldn’t be can see is a night sky filled with stars and
dominated by fear. When tough times come, silhouetted against the dark, a majestic
we gain strength, courage, and confidence, tree growing tall and strong. And so the
by every experience in which we stop to look pandemic brought home the lesson of the
fear in the face. beauty and sacredness of nature, which
When my thoughts run wild, prone to for our pleasure and profit we have defiled
anxiety and “catastrophising”, my mantra and abused, poisoned with chemicals and
to retain sanity and thrive in adversity is to disregarded the delicate interconnectedness
resist endless scanning of social media, and among living things.
instead, tune in to credible news sources Air and water, two essentials on which all
just once a day. I learnt that when fear life thrives, have become global garbage cans;
overwhelms me prayer and the ability to forests, natural habitats and biodiversity are
hand things over to a higher being, of letting all disappearing at an alarming rate leading
go, instantly calms me and puts things in to devastating consequences- pandemics and
perspective. global warming. Plastic and technological
I have learned that it is not how big your wastes are choking the earth. Oil spills
house is but how happy and loving the home are contaminating the oceans. “Modern
is. technology owes ecology an apology.” We
The “pause in time”, brings unique and are voracious consumers buying and using
unlimited family moments. Knowingthat much more than we need. So when I read
our loved ones are well is the most this quote: “If it can’t be reduced, reused,
important thing. If I have learnt anything repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished,
from this pandemic, it is that the things resold, recycled, or composted, then it should
our lives revolved around - malls and be restricted, designed or removed from
multiplexes, parties and bar hopping,have production”, I resolved to try and become a
all disappeared and we can live without better citizen of this planet. Humanity is at
them; it is our home and family that keeps us a crossroads, and we have to choose which
safe and sane. I value and treasure the little path to take - whether we want to live in a
tings we do together, the deep conversations clean, green earth or a dystopian dark age.
we have, laugh about something nonsensical
with my grandchildren, view old family
photos and films. A hug from my children
and grandchildren is all I need to feel great.
They are “my life jacket in the stormy sea of
life.”
Everything is connected
“The environment is in us, not outside of
us. The trees are our lungs and rivers our
bloodstream. We are all interconnected and
what you do to the environment you do to
yourself.”
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