While I’ve been blithely posting about my great trip on here for the last two weeks, I want you to know– especially you southern Californians that are experiencing the devastation of the recent fires– that I’ve been praying for you.
While heartened by the above photo of the LA Christian Science church surviving unscathed in the midst of a burned down neighborhood, I grieve too that our prayers did not save the property of all those others too.
What we are seeing is climate change in action, and we all are culpable. I may have solar on my house, but the carbon emissions of flying, for example are immense. There are so many ways of being guilty of contributing to this problem. Americans are by far the most invested in big oil. Listen to this, which says we are too late to fix this but still need to try. What are we to do, just let it get worse?
I am terribly sobered, but I consider that a good thing. I’m continuing to pray, to try to make conscientious choices, and try to help those feeling the fall out. My heart continues to go out to all those effected in LA, this is far from over for them. But my heart goes out too for all of us, as we seek to remedy the tragic missteps that have created this crisis, in order to avoid future escalation of calamities such as this. All of us are needed– and more– to turn this tide.
Meanwhile, we will be kind, and find things to be grateful for, for sure.
And check out the map below of the states that have less population than LA county! That was news to me.
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2 Comments
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Thank you Polly for sharing Love in action. Principia school is opening their doors tuition free to those who need a school for their children due to the fires. Not certain if there is any other criteria.
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A woman I know told me that she and her husband “no longer travel” (at least not by airplane) due to the effect on climate change. She does travel some by car, because she told me this at an event 3 hours from where she lives. We were at “Fiber Day”, which happens to be sponsored by her sister-in-law. So does it count as “travel” if you are going to visit family, as opposed to a vacation? Anyway, it is good that they are taking a stand, even if we are not sure how much of a difference it will make.
It made me think about people hundreds of years ago (and a few people today) who never went beyond their village, so their view and understanding of the world was very limited. Now we can get virtual information about other places without leaving our home, but it is not the same as experiencing another place or culture firsthand.
I try to do my part like using reusable shopping bags, washing out and reusing plastic ziplock bags (or not using them if there is an alternative), trying not to buy stuff we do not need, etc, but sometimes it feels like it is not making any difference.
