Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Change

Spring is here.  It's a time of change.  Today it was almost 70 degrees out.  Tomorrow they are predicting 19 for a low.  Radical change in temperature.  Normal for spring in OHIO.  Change is happening all around me.  The ground has thawed and the millions of soil creatures are ramping up.  The lawn is rough with the work of worms cleaning out their winter homes.  (and with moles and voles making mountians...)  Plants are breaking their dormancy and pushing through the soil, or the hard winter bark.  Life is ready to burst forth at a moments notice.

Around the world change is happening too.  The earth shifts and shrugs.  Life changes for millions, or billions of creatures living in that place. 

Humans rise up and demand change.  Life changes across the globe for humans everywhere (and for billions of others living here too...)

So, I've been thinking about change.

I once worked for a person who described their own job as "inflicting change on others".  It was a very accurate discription.  I think that is a standard human approach to change.  We eithere inflict it, or have it inflicted on us.  It is a VERY ineffective method.  The inflictor can't possibly know enough to impliment the right kind of change, an never stays around long enough to see the consequences anyway.  Those inflicted automatically resist, even it it is a good change (check your speed next time you hit a 55 mph zone... or see a trooper parked in the median...)  Logic has no part in this, we RESIST... that's what we do.
The other option is Gandhi's approach "be the change..."  Sounds great, but it's a hard way to live.

So, since I can't be King Of The World and inflict change where I will, I've been trying to be the change. 

Two ways I've found.  Change me, and live (like a weird polyp, walled off from society), or be a catalyst.  Cause change by mixing with others.  It's a radical approach.  If you remember high school chemistry, catalysts were the key in making all kinds of cool stuff.  Some of it was green, some of it exploded, or gave off a great stink, or made light, or fire.  Catalysts were COOL!

Of course, the catalyst ALWAYS gets consumed in the process.  Great Change.  Great Personal Sacrifice.

It's Lent now.  Thoughts of catalysts seem to run through the week.

Do we dare BE the change???


(more normal thoughts tomorrow... Local Food, Baby Goats, Kids, Cars, Etc...)

9 comments:

Barbee' said...

A fine thought provoking post. Very timely.

inadvertent farmer said...

I believe we we can be the change...I have to or this would all be to overwhelming.

Great, great post. Kim

Anonymous said...

Changes in life are occurring all the time, and that's easy to accept. The changes we notice or implement, however, are cathartic. I think society should ask what changes they going to notice. For example, are they going to play along with how the food industry is changing what we eat? What changes are they going to implement? Is society going to collectively speak up about access to pristine areas and good soils for growing foods? When the majority decide to do this, only then will things be truly different. Until then, grow your own food, join a local CSA or buy locally grown food.

Anonymous said...

It's refreshing seeing the thrust of life all around us this season. Great post. It's our time to take our part in this already lively spring.

Nourishing Words said...

You're so right. Being the change is the best possible option. It sure beats sitting around wishing things would be different. Thanks for the thoughtful post. Happy spring!

Jennifer said...

If I let the world change me then I begin to feel helpless and overwhelmed. When I have a choice - or am led to believe I have one, I can try to either try to make/be the change or accept my fate. I think it's most people's inherent nature to resist change, to be afraid of it. In actuality, most change is an improvement over the current situation. Are we afraid of change or afraid of failure?

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I wanted to email you in regards in any possible advertising opportunities you may have with your website. I'm looking to earn support for a national cause and get visibility for the "plant 1 billion trees" project. Shoot me an email back and let me know if you would be interested at all in supporting this cause or if you want more information on it.

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jack-of-all-thumbs said...

Alan,

Get back with me about the coop door contest!!

themanicgardener said...

Thought-provoking indeed. I think the moment of change opens the window of opportunity, which tends to slam shut once what was new becomes entrenched. We're lost the sense of shock about the fact that our country holds prisoners without charging them, commits torture, and goes to war without declaring it. These are all well-established practices now. So we need to notice and act while the change is still happening. As for your willingness to be the always-consumed catalyst--good thing you've got your eyes open.
--Kate

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