Never Give Up Hope

Miami Beach Sunrise, Old Lyme

There is always something special about the light in Old Lyme.  It's why the American Impressionists settled here.  Often, in the middle of broad daylight, the light is often softer here.  It is its own presence.  Always a palpable element of my experience here and something that gives me hope.

This morning I decided to go for a walk.  There are lots of changes on the horizon for me, as has been the case for so much of the past five years.  I love the earth so much.  It has been so healing for me to be in nature, after years of working in banking and being caught up in the rat race that is often sold to us as life.  Yet, as I walked, I realized there was a lot of security in holding a job with benefits and retirement.  I didn't have to think every day about what I was going to do or how I was going to sell my efforts or any of that.  Decisions were made for me. I suppose that is why lots of people do what they do. Security is very enticing.

Of course, it is too late for me to turn back and really, when I thought more about that, a lot of this security was false then and is even more of an illusion now.  Corporations aren't people and they can't care about their employees, who are let go so easily these days.  With a myopic focus on three month profit horizons, all stability in the environment and the economy is threatened because sustainability is not a consideration.  There is no more womb to tomb, and so much of what big business does destroys the very fabric of our lives.  Our food supply is threatened by GMO's, antibiotics, fertilizers, and chemicals.  So many people are developing sensitivities to what they eat and breathe, and our water supply is polluted and dwindling. There is no security on the planet right now, if we continue on the path we are on.  Holding onto that myth only makes matters worse.  The only choice as a sentient being is to take a risk and try to shake things up.  

The sky, earth, water and air of our planet are so beautiful.  To feel the faint drops of rain, to listen to the waves softly break on the beach, to feel my feet in the sand, and to delight in the incredible colors of a sunrise, these are gifts that should be cherished.  Seen in this light of hope, I suddenly knew that though I may be taking a very large risk in dedicating my life to sharing this beauty and attempting to inspire people to care about our planet, giving up dreams of changing the world is not as crazy as giving up hope.