Wednesday, May 02, 2007

renewal

It could be a time of dark despair. All the news of tainted food, global warming, corporate crime, sanctioned environmental destruction, and widespread human indifference to anything but worship of the almighty dollar, can certainly drive the most devout optimist into a funk.

But I'm not going to go there. I really really believe, or want to believe, that our human assault on the environment has reached a critical point, one in which we finally understand that this stuff is for real, and enough people may have come to that conclusion to make a difference.

But I can't speak for humanity. All I can speak of is my own viewpoint, and for some strange reason I feel very optimistic on this cool breezy spring day. I see the marsh marigolds, pictured above, give their vote of confidence, I see all the trees flowering again, I see the return of the migrant birds. They have not given up hope. And neither will I.

Spring is a time for renewal. The plants renew their age old rites, the birds renew their migration and return to nesting grounds. I renew my faith in humanity, for a time, however illogical that may seem, and I renew my vow to do nothing but good on this earth. And I break that vow, a lot, but the spirit of renewal makes me think I still can redeem myself.

In the words of Wendell Berry, "Practice resurrection."

9 comments:

Todd said...

This picture and post reminded me of Everett Chance from "The Brothers K", and his little reawakening, all thanks to a coffee-can full of buttercups from Vancouver Island. Or something like that...it's been a while!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

"Practice resurrection" I like that. I really believe that our actions and our responses are a choice and our attitude directs them both.

just call me Pollyanna...

Deb said...

Todd- Maybe I had that scene buried deep within my subconscious as I wrote this. It's been a long, long time since I read The Brothers K!

Lynne- Call me Pollyanna too. :)

The "Practice Resurrection" line is the last line from one of my favorite poems, "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" by Wendell Berry.

Nickie said...

I have lots of those moments too...where I get over whelmed and just want to give up...

But a walk in the woods helps to clear away some of that!

R.Powers said...

Nice post. One I can relate to.

Anonymous said...

I am SO with you!

Larry said...

Let Heaven and Nature Sing!

Dan Trabue said...

If you go here and press Play right at the top (at least right now), you can hear a song, "Practice Resurrection" based at least loosely on the poem.

This fella - Tim Sean Youmans - has some other interesting acoustic stuff (including some sweet-sounding Sasquatch song).

Hey Deb, on another musical note, my wife and I are playing at a local farmers market next Tuesday. (This will be our first non-church "gig").

If you're in downtown Louisville, stop on by...

Dan Trabue said...

I was just listening to the song and I reckon it's based VERY loosely on the poem. I know the guy is a fan of Berry's but the song seems to be more Christian in nature. Which is fine, I just didn't want to mislead anyone...