Sometimes something good comes from waiting to be served in a busy shop. I read a little gem earlier today. The wording may not be quite accurate but the gist is this.......
It is not what lies ahead of us nor what lies behind us that matters most, but what lies within us
I wonder what lies within each of the world's political leaders...... I am not sure it is to them we should be entrusting the future of our planet.
I have not written any of my usual diatribes about the politics of living a greener life for a year or so. There are lots of people like Gavin doing a great job of it and I just have enjoyed leaving them to it. Being in France for 6 months was a nice way to live in ignorance of local issues as my French is not up to more than a chat about manure, chooks, vegetables and the simple things in life. Occasionally I read about floods and drought in Australia on the ABC website, after talking to my mother on skype on Wednesdays because she kept me up-to-date on things Australian.
It is my nature to encourage good things and not dwell on the bad and I get so excited about growing food and seeing my bok choys grow faster than Jack's beanstalk. I am also now looking forward to getting involved in the Food Connect programme, helping Chook with her garden and continuing to help Hugh with his. But that doesn't mean that my blood has not been boiling silently, behind the scenes, during the times I have been back in Adelaide.
I have no intention of adding to the trillions of words already written about the hopes of the peoples of the world for strong leadership in Copenhagen. They are doing their best, those politicians, but they are just that, politicians, mostly with a background in law, economics or just politics. If our leaders were artists or naturopaths or organic farmers we would be in with a chance. If they went there with a passion for nature, human health and vitality or caring and sharing I would have confidence in their words. But they don't. They come from the hard edge of town; from making business deals (usually badly), juggling popularity for re-election with rocking the economic boat as little as possible.
What lies within us matters so much because it is from there that we are driven to act. Words are cheap; actions much harder and a far truer display of our real selves. If a person has spent decades religiously pursuing a career in law or economics, is it fair of me to say that I cannot see them as being passionate about butterflies in their garden or sharing seeds of their favourite lettuce or re-using stuff from a neighbour's hard rubbish to make a chook run? Which of them would wear a second hand suit or carry a second hand brief case to the meetings? Is there a single one who has insisted they eat only local food while in Copenhagen? Did any of them seek out the local seedsavers group since they were going to be in Denmark where Skrubtudsen from The Toad's Garden lives? You may laugh, but these are the people we need making decisions for our planet; people with a passion about the planet. I don't mean airy fairy dreamers, but people whose daily actions have proved that what lies within is the right stuff for the job.
Posts
5 comments:
Fantastic post Kate. It was written from the heart with thought and prose. Loved it!
Gav
Oh thank you Gavin. Its about time I wrote something worth reading!
I often observe people with briefcases busily discussing topics between themselves, passing through Adelaide's parks and gardens while ignoring the birds and the flowers and the beautiful sky.
Perhaps if we all make time to reflect and observe, and enjoy just being alive, we will make sustainable "progress" as a species, and better decisions.
I'm at least glad that politicians are willing to talk about important issues now. Twenty years ago environmental problems were treated as marginal, as were the people who had such concerns.
Very best wishes from me and my long-established organic garden.
That's odd! I thought this Obama chap had a vegetable garden down the bottom of the White House lawn. Or so this blog said last year...
Many of our own seed savers group are gardeners outside their diverse professional careers; having such a career by this evidence does not mean that someone is disconnected from nature, or uncaring of the global climate change dangers.
Local foods - there was serious plans for that in Copenhagen, but in the end this particularly nordic cooking catering firm came in second, and lost to an ordinary catering company.
As to visiting me, Skrubtudsen, it was impossible. I live within walking distance of the Bella Center. I escaped on a vacation in Spain, as I would probably not have made it to work anyway. And I feel much more at home alone in my garden, than in a huge crowd of exited people :-)
I was disappointed by the results in Copenhagen, but surprised, that the every country seem to accept the climate threat, though not yet willing to act on it. No denial anymore!
It seem to me, that the chinese first of all prevented a better result - and climate are likely to punish them severe! I feel pity for them, as their rivers are drying out in a foreseeable future. And no one to blame.
Post a Comment