I want to talk to you about the hope in the world today. One topic flooded email, social media and conversation this past weekend, elevating uncertainty and anxiety. And yet, there is this amazing concurrent sense of resiliency and transformation:
Conferences that were once prohibitively expensive and only available to a few are becoming free or affordable webinars available to everyone. Retail stores are voluntarily shutting their doors for the good of all, hospitality venues are extending generosity in the form of cancellation policies, and municipalities are asking restaurants and bars to provide take-out or delivery options instead of dining in. People are organizing grassroots resource-sharing to get through this scary time.
It seems almost like the Sign of Jonah: Jonah is the only biblical prophet who was believed, and as people changed their ways they were spared the predicted devastation. This might be embarrassing to the prophet who could be accused of overstating the threat, but it was (and is) the best available outcome for everyone.
Unfortunately, the sign is not complete. The most vulnerable (hungry, housing insecure, imprisoned, waiting for eviction) are not seeing a cessation of pressure, just as the sustainability movement has too
We need to respond in a similarly complex and complete way to climate change. Many of the coronavirus precautions are, coincidentally, easing the burden of global warming, but there are some substantial differences between these threats. There are plenty of useful articles on the topic that may spark in you a curiosity about how we can all advocate for temporary climate- and community- positive changes to be made permanent in your own workplaces and neighborhoods. Because, as we now know even more concretely, our actions and our connection with each other has incredible power.
