I’m sitting on the deck of our house enjoying the peace and quiet of the wind blowing through the trees and an occasional gecko chirping in the eaves. All our girls have finally gone to sleep and I’m not far behind. Lately I’ve been feeling grateful for the little things in life like watching our youngest, who just turned two, search her tiny and pure memory for words. Her delight when we understand her is contagious and it reminds me just how little it takes to give her that time. Michael Franti’s “Colors in the Box” is playing right now and his lyrics speak the simple truth.
Love them
And listen to ‘em
Let ‘em tell you who they really want to be.
Hold them
And sometimes cry with them
And let them be exactly who they are going to be...
The simple truth that all we really need to be is present. Why is it so challenging? I have a t-shirt with BE PRESENT emblazoned across the chest and it’s amazing how many people appreciate the reminder. I even remind myself when I look in the mirror and forget that I have it on. Perhaps the growing uncertainty and instability in these crazy times discourage us from completely tuning in and we seek ways to tune out instead. Well folks, we need to BE HERE NOW. We cannot afford the luxury of looking the other way.
Now more than ever, we have so many opportunities to make conscious choices. People are standing up and making positive changes in the way they do business and live their lives. A great example that comes to mind is Jack Johnson and his wife Kim. This year, their Kokua Festival included an eco-village full of socially and eco-conscious vendors offering alternative goods and information to lead us into a more sustainable future. It was inspiring to see a mix of all ages converge and support solutions for a greener world.
Our effort and numbers are growing daily. I’m constantly finding myself surprised by the ease of conversation with new people I encounter who share the concern for our environment and are willing to make changes in their daily lives to secure a safe future for our children. Thank you for being a part of this evolution of thought, soul and action that has been a long time coming.
