And now, reader, let us return to the banks of the Androscoggin River where we left off last week when I posed the question of who or what we have to blame for the climate crisis and the cascade of ecological collapse we now face? Is it the fault of technology and, if it is, should we then look to technological inventions to save ourselves?
Thanks for sharing. As always, I enjoy your perspective. I also felt ambiguous walking along Main Street in the Sparkle Parade with our signs declaring that we should do the exact opposite of what the parade organizers (aka Freeport Merchants Association) want us to do as we kick off this "season": shop! On the one hand, we were perhaps seen as curmudgeonly as Ebenezer Scrooge. On the other, we are doing our part, like so many millions are doing across the globe, to declare Enough with Consumerism already! Hopefully at least a few in the thousands got it!
Your news that the Merchants Association put a picture of us on their Instagram post after the parade is fabulous!! We are being seen and heard and even adopted! Thanks for all that you do to make this happen. And should we tell people how much fun we have doing all this???
Another fine essay, Kathleen! Thank you, and thank you for carrying the FreeportCAN banner on that cold night. Time to celebrate this holiday with the simplicity of a crèche, a baby born with very little, with helping our new Mainers and others who are housing-insecure find dependable/affordable housing.
I love all the ways you describe we can celebrate this holiday. We can care for each other. We can give to the people in our community who are in need. And of course we have this wonderful organization in town:Freeport Community Services whose mission is to do just that! Thanks for all you do to support the kind of gift giving you describe!
You are a gifted essayist and spot on in this series. I add compassion to empathy as qualities to carry with me in this crisis. And deep memory of deep time. No shame in being human, we are of this place, made of this place, but we must change our ways. Kudos for your courage.
Thanks! and folks should find your Substack with you provocative gems shining in your writing!! I love your spontaneous reflections on everything from aging to artificial intelligence and spiritual journeys in city streets. As to carrying empathy during this time of existential crisis: it's hard sometimes, don't you think? Hard not to want to shake people awake? Hard to manage my own ambitions to wake people now.
I fear wakening people to the crisis may only get harder. I sense people are retreating from the natural world, perhaps from a sense of disenfranchisement or powerlessness in the face of seemingly overwhelming challenges. Kudos to you and like-minded souls who while thinking globally, don't hesitate to act locally. As the old saying goes, "if you want to cover the whole world with leather, all you need do is wear leather soled shoes."
Thanks for sharing. As always, I enjoy your perspective. I also felt ambiguous walking along Main Street in the Sparkle Parade with our signs declaring that we should do the exact opposite of what the parade organizers (aka Freeport Merchants Association) want us to do as we kick off this "season": shop! On the one hand, we were perhaps seen as curmudgeonly as Ebenezer Scrooge. On the other, we are doing our part, like so many millions are doing across the globe, to declare Enough with Consumerism already! Hopefully at least a few in the thousands got it!
Your news that the Merchants Association put a picture of us on their Instagram post after the parade is fabulous!! We are being seen and heard and even adopted! Thanks for all that you do to make this happen. And should we tell people how much fun we have doing all this???
Another fine essay, Kathleen! Thank you, and thank you for carrying the FreeportCAN banner on that cold night. Time to celebrate this holiday with the simplicity of a crèche, a baby born with very little, with helping our new Mainers and others who are housing-insecure find dependable/affordable housing.
I love all the ways you describe we can celebrate this holiday. We can care for each other. We can give to the people in our community who are in need. And of course we have this wonderful organization in town:Freeport Community Services whose mission is to do just that! Thanks for all you do to support the kind of gift giving you describe!
You are a gifted essayist and spot on in this series. I add compassion to empathy as qualities to carry with me in this crisis. And deep memory of deep time. No shame in being human, we are of this place, made of this place, but we must change our ways. Kudos for your courage.
Thanks! and folks should find your Substack with you provocative gems shining in your writing!! I love your spontaneous reflections on everything from aging to artificial intelligence and spiritual journeys in city streets. As to carrying empathy during this time of existential crisis: it's hard sometimes, don't you think? Hard not to want to shake people awake? Hard to manage my own ambitions to wake people now.
I fear wakening people to the crisis may only get harder. I sense people are retreating from the natural world, perhaps from a sense of disenfranchisement or powerlessness in the face of seemingly overwhelming challenges. Kudos to you and like-minded souls who while thinking globally, don't hesitate to act locally. As the old saying goes, "if you want to cover the whole world with leather, all you need do is wear leather soled shoes."