No… I don’t mean to Canada (smile). It’s time for each of us to find a new level of action.

Dear Community,

May of us are experiencing a collective shock right now and I wanted to write some words of encouragement. While it would be wonderful to live in a world where everything is happy and good all the time, that is just not the case. Fortunately we, as human beings, have all the tools and intelligence needed to deal with things as they come at us.

Here are a few of my thoughts.

Don’t be afraid of yourself

We may wish it weren’t so, but fear and regret are two of our most important emotions. Sometimes we need those. If experienced by an awake individual these powerhouse emotions cause us to re-evaluate what we’ve been doing, and give us the courage to change course. It’s possible to have negative emotions while still standing in a field of love and hope.

It’s obvious that each of us needs to do more.

This was first brought home to me with the sudden death of Carol Hanson from our community. Carol was a beautiful mess in many ways (as are we all). She bungled, sang and smiled through unwavering commitments. She served on the board of the Dances of Universal Peace, and even as president. I remember that she drove some people crazy (I had my moments…), but she kept going and did everything that she was able to do… always with that crazy smile. At her life service the church was packed with people from so many organizations in Pocatello that she worked for. My thought was, “I can do more.” Just looking around the room I realized that I was only doing half of what I could do.

And now we are faced with a very odd situation of leadership in our country. We could have each done more these last few months. I certainly could have done more… even though I have been dealing with cancer. And while I can’t go back and undo anything that I did not do… I can certainly re-evaluate and let myself be inspired for what I can do in the future.

You can’t protest wrong

If you get out and protest you are going to do it wrong in some way. The reason for that is because there is no way to do it “right.” So protest, or don’t protest. But don’t worry if you are doing it right or wrong. Please don’t shame others who are looking messy in the way they are acting. Anything we do will have many elements of craziness and sanity. Moving and speaking and doing something will lead us all into new paths. So do something, even if it’s problematic. Just doing that will make it right. Keep your love and songs of life forefront in your consciousness and move with certainty.

We have several community members right now who have loaded up their cars with supplies and headed to Standing Rock. They are an example. Stand behind them in any way you can, and then ask others to stand behind you in your choices.

Together we are stronger

Please don’t get confused in thinking that everything is relative, and that things just work out without our participation. There is actually goodness and badness, and we need constant discrimination to discern between the two. Bigotry and misogyny are bad – it creates so much anger and hate. But standing up against a bigot in a way that looks angry is sometimes necessary. Please support each other in our attempts to deal with difficult things. It’s important to lean in and try to understand a bigot, but we also have to not be swayed in our stance.

Denying Climate Change is not right, and polluting the planet is not right. This is a collective problem and we need collective answers We have the opportunity to stand up now and do what we can do for the issues that are important to us, even in a political climate that has turned against what we know to be good and true.

Here is a quote from a recent email from Al Gore that I received as a Climate Reality Leader:

In every great struggle humanity has undertaken, the march towards progress has included both successes and setbacks. And the struggle to protect and save the Earth’s ecological system is no exception.

Today, I am as optimistic and resolved as ever that we will solve the climate crisis. Our collective efforts are dependent not on politics or ideology – or elections – but on our commitment to each other, to the health of our planet and to a sustainable future for all.

We must – and will – continue to find hope and joy in our work that will define humanity for generations.

He’s right. It’s up to us how this will all work out. It’s time to move.

Love you all and we’ll be dancing together soon.

Connie Zareen