One month out....

"Answers give us knowledge, but questions give us wisdom." This bit of ancient Chinese philosophy has guided me in my teaching and also in my learning. One month ago today I landed at Dancing Rabbit. This seems to be a good time to take a pause, step back and reflect. What have I learned, about me, about the world, in the last month? What am I doing differently? How am I thinking differently? 1) I have decided to return to a plant-based diet. During my 31+ years as a vegetarian I did go the vegan route for three years. My daughter and I did that together. However, when she went to France for a year, she thought that might prove challenging. I also think it would have been tough to be there and not sample some of the delicious foods. (Of course, vegan food is delicious too!) I have not completely switched over to all plants yet but I am making purchasing choices with this in mind and enjoying transition. For those of you outside of Wisconsin, cheese is everywhere here. From fresh cheese curds at the Farmers Market to deep fried cheese curds at many restaurants. There is a certain level of will power that I need to access to withstand the melted cheddary temptations. 2) I am being less lazy when it comes to transportation. I used to bike everywhere. In the past year, I got away from that. I would rationalize that there were reasons that I needed to use my car. Eventually, it got to be too convenient. My first step has been to create a spreadsheet. I keep track of the miles that I walk and ride my bike. I credit myself 67 cents for every mile I travel under my own power. I also keep track of the miles I drive in town. I subtract 67 cents per mile for every mile I drive. In essence, I have to earn my credits to drive my car. Already I have changed my behaviors. Being that I have another home two hours away and some responsibilities that are timely, I sometimes need to travel by car 150 miles. And tomorrow I am taking my father to his home where we will work on the land for the day and then return. This will be 90 miles. For now, I am just logging those miles. I need to create some structure to serve as a disincentive to use my car.

3) I have read a few books. First was Ma'ikwe Ludwig's, Together Resilient. This had me thinking more about community living and how one can live with one foot in community and one foot in society as a whole to help bring about necessary changes.

I am still reading Naomi Klein's book, This Changes Everything. The book is powerful and thought-provoking but it sometimes leaves me feeling powerless. There are rather strong forces that seem to be conspiring against the people that will affect all of us. I have adopted her term of "Climate Disruption" as it sounds more truthful that the gentle "global warming" or "climate change". Right now I am reading, No Impact Man by Colin Beavan. 4) I have watched some Netflix documentaries: Cowspiracy, What the Health, Sustainable, and the True Cost. All of them really make me think. They are listed as documentaries but there is some inherent bias. I have so many questions now about diet, about big agriculture, about how we acquire our clothing. I can't say for certain how much of what I have watched is true but I do know that I have directions to search. There are many concerns about who pays for the studies that are done and who donates to organizations that should be serving as watchdogs. As always, I will base my diet on what I think is right for me, and for our planet. 5) The unsustainable nature of our society seems so clear to me now. Watching cars and trucks below as I bike over or along city streets, when I see the planes flying overhead from the airport near my house, as stores are busy with people shopping, I realize that we can't keep this up. More noticeable is the way people treat one another. I have had 3 - 4 instances where cashiers were very apologetic over making a mistake or taking a little extra time with some small issue. This hamster wheel of time that seems to drive us in our daily lives is not healthy. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. I am passing judgment but the way some people talk to others and carry themselves makes me feel that they feel more entitled somehow. I am finding little ways to interact a bit more directly with people in my community. Small acts of kindness, saying hello, or just a simple smile help me to remember that we are all connected.

A friend of mine gave me a copy of The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. In several places in the book they refer to “Ubuntu,” an ancient African word which translated means “I am what I am, because of who we all are.” This is an idea that needs more thought, more discussion and more press. As for those questions: What is my next step? Am I on the right path? Can I be satisfied making the changes that I need for myself, hoping that perhaps I will serve as a role model for others? Do I need to take a more active role in raising awareness and pushing for change? I feel wiser already.