Helping anyone to see they don’t have to wait for government or industry to fix climate change, that each of us can empower ourselves to begin fixing it, and that by taking little steps at a time we not only help our own finances and lives, but we also send a continuing message to industry and government as to what the people want and hasten the process of their involvement.

I also grow food and am drawing down carbon and restoring what had been a tired industrial farm into an Eden. Wildlife has returned to it. Because of this success I am also hosting and mentoring agricultural students at a nearby college.

Also, of course, I find meaning in just living life, loving my family, friends, and neighbors, knitting and making things, reading and learning, baking bread, cooking from scratch, and making a home. Giving away my sourdough and yogurt starters and teaching people how to use them. Giving away plant divides to friends and neighbors. Sometimes rescuing animals.

Listening to, encouraging, and cheering my adult children, brother, friends, neighbors.

This question took me by surprise. I think I could go on and on. I see meaning everywhere, and it’s funny…not ten minutes ago the quietness of Covid life was getting to me and I was thinking how bored I am.

The joke’s on me! HHAHAHAHAHa

Awareness and interaction are very helpful tools in becoming more grateful. I remember when I first felt more grateful for coffee, it actually tasted better! I have a favorite cup, it now has a chip in it but when I use the cup I still actively look at it, even the chip, and smile. Making the coffee has almost become a ritual, the heat of the filled coffee mug in my hands, smelling the coffee before I drink it, all of these things and more require being present and interacting with what is around us in a very conscious way.

I like the “with others” part of the question. Of course I try to comfort and cheer others, but are there ways I can help others find gratefulness more easily? I will need to “sit” with this question today.

Today I am deeply grateful to my parents for instilling in me the importance of having strong principles. I am a very imperfect person. You don’t live through as much as I have without being emotional and rough around the edges, but being clear on my principles has held me together and made me clear about who I am and made me a swimmer rather than flotsam bouncing in the currents of the river of life. Clarity of principles helps me navigate situations when emotions run high, and spares me from reacting and the consequences of reaction. Principles help me to be more of the person I wish to be.

My parents did not have easy lives either. One saw war, the other lost their mother at birth and was separated from family for many years, and they both saw many other tragedies and lost a child together. But they still had lives worth living, lives that made a positive difference on many others, and because of their principles, the lights of their lives will shine forever in those who knew them.

Thank you, mom and dad.

I think what may be out of balance is fear. As fear grows, it becomes harder for people to trust others, in turn making it harder to collaborate on projects (even maintaining a democracy, which is a big collaboration). How to dismantle the fear and distrust is a big question for me these days. It will probably take many different efforts to make the situation better, including resolving some of the major issues facing our world today, such as the pandemic, hunger, and displacement. It is hard for people to feel the spirit of generosity and collaboration when they don’t feel secure. The individuals and corporations that are greedy, they are way over on the side of competition, aren’t they? And unfortunately this leads to unscrupulousness. This needs to be addressed to bring things into balance, too. And then I think we need to reach out to others unlike us or with different views, to really listen to understand, and to find common ground and projects we can work on together.

I’ve been having this lately, too, with a few things. I thought I’d start going to Procrastinator’s Anonymous, but they keep postponing the meeting. 😉

Seriously, though, you just reminded me that I used to have terrible anxiety over doing my taxes. I finally broke through it by telling myself all I was going to do at the moment was put my name and address at the top. Once I started, it was somehow no problem to do a little more. I couldn’t always complete in one go, but I would do the same the next day… just one line. I started using that with other things… I’d tell myself I didn’t have to walk every day, but that I could only decide not to go when I was standing in front of my house dressed to go. I didn’t have to clean the whole kitchen, but I was going to wipe down one counter. I think sometimes we just get overwhelmed and start thinking too much about what we think we “should” be doing and then somehow it twists into how we don’t measure up… which of course is not true. I’d be interested in knowing if breaking it down and trying one little thing works for you.