Category: Activism

The Sun Day 2025 Experience in Cowley County, Kansas

On By AnnIn Activism, Earth care, Healing, Music and pianos, Nature, Sun DayLeave a comment

Here Comes the Sun-Day!

For over 50 years,  Winfield, Kansas has been home to the Walnut Valley Festival on the third weekend in September. That made planning a Sun Day 2025 event here challenging.  If we were to correlate with the national effort to raise awareness and celebrate the explosion of solar energy around the world, we had to get creative. Fortunately, Cowley County is full of creative people.

We decided to feature a variety of events preceding that big day.  And thus our “Here Comes the Sun-Day” project was born. Now that it’s over, enjoy a photo tour of the local events for Sun Day 2025.

Solar Art Exhibit Featured at Gallery 1001 through September

The Winfield Public Library and the Arkansas City Public Library featured solar books and STEM projects through the month.

Local Coffeeshops and Restaurants offered sun-related specialties.

College Hill Coffee featured a “golden sun turmeric latte” and Sunshine sandwich special. They also provided media for customers to create their own “Sun Day Art”.

Downtown, the Oasis designed a special “Sunset Refresher” drink.

Grace United Methodist Church got into the Sun-Spirit after installing a large solar array on their education building a couple years ago. They kicked off the big Sun Week with special music from campers at the Walnut Valley Festival, followed by a covered dish dinner–with a few sunny delights!

A sweet “sunflower” and sunflower seed pie.

And a local quartet shared an arrangement of  “Here Comes the Sun!”

Meanwhile, out at the Festival, campers and music lovers could show their solar support with specially designed stickers, and enter a drawing for solar camping equipment.

The Winfield Arts and Humanities Council teamed up with the Walnut Valley Festival to offer children a chance to create t-shirts, printed by the sun!

The county Sun Day planning committee provided information for interested folks to tour several local solar installations through the week prior to Sun Day.

Locations were marked by the special yard sign, within two communities, as well as in the countryside.

The Final Event was a “Walk for the Sun” to wave at supporters as they traveled home from a remarkable weekend.

Happy Sun Day! May we pursue knowledge and skills, as well as installations of panels that will convert the plentiful energy from our local star into power for all!

 

 

 

 

 

Do We Need a New Bible?

On By AnnIn Activism, Earth care, Healing, poetry, social justice2 Comments

The solar energy system on our house came online in July 2011. For the next fourteen years, few days passed when our inverter reported no energy produced by the sun. Then, in June this summer, it all changed. The status window on the inverter, a necessary device that converts the direct current produced by the sun to alternating current for use in our home, toggled error messages constantly during daylight hours. “Peak overvolt,” “AC Voltage Low,” “AC Voltage High.” Production ceased. Given my determination to support the national Sun Day (https://www.sunday.earth)  on September 21 with a local event, we had to do something! An error-ridden system just would not suffice.

The people who installed our system are no longer in that business, so I called local electricians to help diagnose the problem. But we were put on a back-logged wait list, with no real intent to take us off since we were not a priority for the local electricity experts.

I turned to a recommended solar company headquartered ninety miles away. Weeks passed with no appreciable action, but after the devastating baseball sized hailstorm damaged several Solar installations in Ark City, a repair and maintenance specialist from this company stopped to take a look. He found nothing wrong, and assumed there was an issue with a computer chip in the inverter. His advice was to do a hard reset, that is, turn off the whole system for ten days to two weeks to allow the capacitors inside to fully discharge, then turn it on and hope for the best.

It didn’t resolve the error messaging.

I reported back to the solar company and declared that we were ready to replace the inverter and upgrade our home system. That’s when things became interesting.

On Friday afternoon, J, a system designer/project manager, arrived to do a site visit. We agreed on a 3:00 time via email messages. And at precisely 3:00, his white company pickup rolled to a stop in front of our house.

He’s punctual. Impressive.

J chatted about options as he took pictures of several important components in our system, utility meters, and structures on the property. A friendly, 40-something bearded man, he easily answered our questions. I noticed ear piercings as well as tattoos on his forearms. One tattoo was a caterpillar. Another broadcast in a fairly large font, “Practice Resurrection.”

Who was this guy? What did that mean, practice resurrection? Was he part of a strict religious cult? A rigid fundamentalist?

His knowledge of everything solar was obvious and the time flew by. It crossed my mind to ask about the tattoo, yet in the end I let it be. But later, that phrase wouldn’t let me be and I did a search. It turns out that “Practice resurrection” is part of a poem by Wendell Berry.

This system designer for a solar company has poetry tattooed on his arm for all the world to see. Wendell Berry, no less. Impressive!

My encounter with Wendell Berry and his writing has been a meandering path. Earlier this summer, a good friend presented me with an envelope that held a poem by Wendell Berry. M turned to this poem when he needed solace and he wanted to share it with me. That well-worn envelope is in the bag I carry daily. I shared the “practice resurrection” poem with M that evening, whereupon he loaned me Poetry of Presence II, a small volume of poems he didn’t want to part with permanently. It included a few by Wendell Berry, and M urged me to take a look at the poet’s life.

“Look him up,” he said.

Wendell Berry is not to be confused with Thomas Berry, whose book The Dream of the Earth is one of my cherished tomes. Still, there are similar themes in their writing. A thumbnail bio in the back of the loaned poetry book tells me that Wendell Berry writes poetry, essays, and novels. He is an environmentalist “with one primary message: Either we humans will learn to respect and live in harmony with the natural rhythms of this planet, or we will perish.”

Yes. That is prophecy. And Wendell Berry’s important message becomes clearer by the day as humans who have no business leading us continue to lead us toward devastation. It smacks me that this poet’s words have been swimming through my consciousness for years. I have one of his novels in my treasured books collection—as yet unread, but it’s on my list. It just moved a little higher.

There are eleven of Wendell Berry’s poems in my revered 1991 copy of Earth Prayers from Around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth. Included in this volume is an excerpt from the poem that concludes with the words, “Practice Resurrection.”

What, exactly, does that mean? A description that popped up in another search. To practice resurrection means to embody the spirit of new life, hope, and transformation in the face of death, despair or brokenness. Often this is accomplished in acts of faith and love, through perseverance. It involves a daily commitment to find new life in death, to cultivate resilience, to see possibilities for redemption in difficult situations.

That, my inner voice says, is what we need right now, a sense of partnership with the creative Spirit responsible for all life on our amazing planet.  That, my inner voice adds, is the theme of the novel I’m currently writing. That inner voice, I swear, also adds, that may be the theme of many great works of fiction through the ages.

Excerpts from Berry’s poetic verse prompt more from my nagging inner voice.

Berry: “So, friends, . . . love someone who does not deserve it.”

Fell: Love is the greatest power. Believe it.

Berry: “Denounce the government and embrace the flag. Hope to live in that free republic for which it stands.”

Fell: Berry, who is 91 in 2025, wrote this before 1991. How did he know?!

Berry: “Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed.”

Fell: And everything he has encountered, he is in the process of destroying.

Berry: “ . . . please women more than men . . .”

Fell: Hear, hear!

Berry: “Put your faith in the two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years. Listen to carrion . . .”

Fell: The cycle of life; from death comes new life.

Berry: “Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.”

Fell: Not the fake facts. Consider the factual facts. This is a difficult thing, and yet, laughter is healing. When one can laugh, one can love.

Berry: “As soon as the generals and the politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it. . . make tracks in the wrong direction.”

Fell: I am losing my mind.

Berry: “Practice resurrection.”

Which brings me back to the topic of this essay. We need a new Bible. There. I’ve said the thing that’s been on my mind a long time—like decades. Writers know that communication is a give-and-take experience. Half a conversation belongs to the listener. Half the communication through reading belongs to the reader. Given the infinite life experiences of any single life (no two are alike) each reader may interpret a sentence, a verse, a chapter or a book in ways that astonish the writer. This has happened to me, when readers express things they got from my writing that I didn’t know were there. And so, in 2025, with our lives so very different from the ages when scriptures were written, is it any wonder that we misconstrue, misunderstand, and misrepresent the ancient verse?

When our scriptures offer some people excuses to act in cruelty with arrogance rather than teach us how to get along, there is something wrong. When our holy verse teaches that some humans have more rights than others, this is not good. We need lessons and prayers that include reverence and consideration for all peoples around the world, for all life forms created by the Spirit from elements on Earth; we need to cherish and care for the planet as She has cared for us. We need inclusive Scriptures, not exclusive retaliatory verse. We need the insights of various faiths that developed in different locations, including those of indigenous peoples. Inclusive, not exclusive. We need to learn to respect each other, to love with abandon, and to honor those forces and cycles that brought us into being, be they of heaven or of Earth.

We need to practice resurrection.

 

 

The Legacy of Congressman John Lewis

On By AnnIn Activism, social justiceLeave a comment

July 17, 2025 is a day to honor the John Lewis legacy of nonviolent protest in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. “Good Trouble Lives On” protests and rallies are planned across the nation. That day is the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman John Lewis from Georgia. Lewis became known for his leadership during the Civil Rights era, following Martin Luther King, Jr as they marched for equality and civil rights.

His memoir, Walking with the Wind, starts with this story from his childhood. He was with his siblings and cousins, about 15 children total, playing at his aunt’s simple house in Alabama. A storm blew up, and they ran into the house. The small frame building began to sway in the wind. “Wood plank flooring beneath us began to bend. And then, a corner of the room started lifting up. . . The storm was actually pulling the house toward the sky. With us inside it.”

But his aunt took charge. “Line up and hold hands, she said, and we did as we were told. Then she had us walk as a group toward the corner of the room that was rising. From the kitchen to the front of the house we walked, the wind screaming outside, sheets of rain beating on the tin roof. Then we walked back in the other direction, as another end of the house began to lift.

“And so it went, back and forth, fifteen children walking with the wind, holding that trembling house down with the weight of our small bodies. . . Our society is not unlike the children in that house, rocked again and again by the winds of one storm or another, the walls around us seeming at times as if they might fly apart, but the people in the house did the best they could, clasping hands and moving toward the corner that was the weakest.

“We knew another storm would come, and we would have to do it all over again.

“And we did.

“And we still do, all of us. You and I.”

John Lewis was an extraordinary leader of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. He later was elected to Congress, to represent Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death on July 17, 2020. He became well-known after he chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and his role in the Selma to Montgomery marches.

Lewis was a staunch advocate of nonviolence and reconciliation, even in the face of violence and adversity. One of his most famous quotes is, “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Join your friends and neighbors walking with the winds of adversity to honor the legacy of the civil rights icon, John Lewis, Thursday, July 17. Find an action near you here: https://goodtroubleliveson.org/

 

 

Support Public Schools

On By AnnIn Activism, politics, social justiceLeave a comment

A month ago, May 4, 2025, the Cowley County Democratic Party sponsored a town hall meeting. The legislators representing us in Topeka and Washington either ignored their invitations, or politely declined to attend. However, Senator Cindy Holscher from the State Senate, drove all the way from Kansas City to talk to attendees and answer questions. One major topic was the attempt to funnel taxpayer funds away from Kansas public schools into a voucher system.

Senator Holscher strongly supports our public schools. She pointed out that 90% of Kansas children attend public schools. Diverting funds toward private schools which have no oversight would harm the vast majority of our children, especially those in rural areas. There would be no follow up on the received voucher money. One of her constituents admitted they planned to use their voucher money to buy new furniture for their lake house.

A study indicated that vouchers would lead to a learning loss in Kansas with the economic equivalent of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Though Kansas has thus far managed to deny school vouchers, the question will return in the next session. It’s a continuing battle. Our state agenda mirrors that of the federal Project 2025, Holscher said.

Yesterday in DC, June 3, 2025, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon presented her proposed budget to the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran is on that committee. Part of the package was the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) which is an attempt to expand school vouchers nationwide. It is unconscionable for Congress to cut funding for public schools while providing a lucrative tax loophole for the ultra-rich. Reverse Robin Hood, again.

Years ago, when I was an elementary student, the US was involved in the Space Race and the Cold War. Support for public schools was boosted nationwide because we couldn’t afford to let America fall behind. We had to have the best education there was to offer.

Now, “falling behind” seems to be the goal, to withhold resources that would provide excellent education to all our children. The attacks on our schools parallel those on museums, public libraries, public broadcasting, and public radio. Any institution that exists to support learning and literacy has come under intense scrutiny and criticism.

The recently released film “Free For All: The Public Library” sheds light on the history of literacy, books, and learning. The 90-minute documentary is available on PBS. Highly recommended.

Public libraries, even today, are staunchly supportive of literacy. Whereas once libraries were exclusive, after the Revolutionary War, Ben Franklin supported opening libraries to commoners. “If people are to govern themselves, they need to be educated.” To me, that is democracy’s mission.

It took generations for literacy to be offered to everyone, however. Women were limited in what they could read, and they certainly weren’t welcome to write. In the slave-holding south, it was illegal to teach a slave to read. Before the Civil War, “Literacy literally was the line between citizen and slave.”

For a hundred years we made a lot of progress and then, groups such as the Heritage Foundation started whittling away at our public schools. Now many districts limp along. For the last fifty years, there has been an assault on our collective literacy until currently 21% of American adults are illiterate and 54% of us read below a 6th grade level.

Why? It’s a calculated effort to return us to that time when literacy was the line between those with power and those without. Jess Piper’s column “View From Rural Missouri” explains it this way: “Their goal is to create workers who can be exploited, workers who won’t ask questions or join unions or demand better conditions.”

Project 2025 aims to make us stupid again.

But we see what is happening. We want our schools to excel. We want every child to learn the critical thinking skills that naturally follow reading and writing. “Everyone deserves an education to have a fighting chance against those who would take advantage of them.” (J. Piper 5/29/2025)

Vouchers would weaken our public schools and deprive our children of their future. Please let Jerry Moran know you support public schools and you want him to as well. While you’re at it, let our state legislators know too.

Earth Day 55

On By AnnIn Activism, books, Earth careLeave a comment
Sharing my respect and appreciation for our home planet, a truly unique gem in the cosmos that sustains all living things. Today is Earth Day #55, and we stand on a more precarious precipice than before with a hostile leadership that chooses to ignore the warning signs of impending disaster. What kind of creature will take energy and sustenance that Earth provides free to all, and turn it all into a profit-making venture, future be damned? I think we stand alone in that category. Mine may be the first generation who fully recognizes the peril we face and the last generation with the window available to do something to prevent the worst climate disasters.
What are you doing to honor Earth? I’m leading a group (We the People of Cowley County) to fold as many origami fish as we can to share with Wisconsin Sierra Club in a unique protest against Enbridge Line 5 pipeline that endangers the Great Lakes and its human and wild inhabitants.
I’m reading a book (Becoming Earth–How Our Planet Came to Life by Ferris Jabr) with growing amazement at his research results and the growth of knowledge in my field of geology since I earned my diploma. (Stay tuned for a book report.) I highly recommend this book to all.
I’m taking steps to reduce my own and my family group’s consumption of fossil fuel energy in favor of the energy provided by our sun and Earth’s systems.
Please share the things you are doing in the comments. Thank you!

To Dine with Purpose: For the Earth

On By AnnIn Activism, Earth care, Prairie talesLeave a comment

The devastating storm system that tore through a dozen states in mid-March wreaked havoc in all of them. Over a hundred tornadoes ripped through communities from Louisiana to Illinois, east to the Atlantic coast. The funnels destroyed hundreds of homes and left over 24 people dead. In northwest Kansas, the system’s unprecedented straight-line winds of 50 to 60 mph with gusts over 70 mph blew in a dust cloud that engulfed Interstate 70. Over fifty drivers lost sight of the highway and plowed into other cars and semi-trucks in front of them. Eight fatalities resulted from the largest pile-up of automobiles in decades. The highway remained closed for days.

None of this should come as a surprise. Shock, maybe, but no surprise. We’ve known for decades that our actions stress the living veneer on our miraculous home planet, Earth. Yet we meet steeper resistance to action with each passing day. If the unprecedented storms across our country aren’t enough to shake sense into our leaders, what will be?

I fell in love with nature years ago and my devotion to wilderness, landforms and wildlife led me to share our growing predicament many times since Earth Day #1 in 1970. As a public high school student enrolled in Earth Science class at the time, I proudly sported my green armband through all the activities of that day. Since then, after earning a bachelor of science degree in geology, I’ve helped with Earth Day exhibits at our local park, highway cleanups, recycling efforts, care packages for extended family featuring Earth-friendly products for daily life, helped my own students with environmental projects, wrapped trees with green ribbons (and later removed them for the trees’ sake), planned and orchestrated a series of environmental film screenings at our local theater, and connected the dots with 350.org in the crazy weather of 2012. It became obvious that our amazing planet deserves attention not just one day each year, but every day. As indigenous leaders on every continent teach us, the Earth does not belong to humans. Rather we belong to the Earth. We ignore the warning signs at our own peril.

I continue efforts to educate others. Several weeks ago, I came across a link to an article titled “These 15 Foods Could Disappear Due to Climate Change.” (https://worth.com/15-foods-disappear-due-to-climate-change/) The probable impact of climate disruption on familiar foods was shocking. If only people knew, I thought. The list gave me an idea: I could promote local gatherings that served many of the foods on the list. To kick it off, I invited a diverse group of friends for a “Dinner with Purpose: For the Earth.” I set up a buffet with information cards about each food item and how the Earth’s delectable gifts may become rare for our grandkids. The menu included chocolate candy appetizers, taco salad with all the trimmings, scalloped potatoes, with mixed fruit salad and blueberry muffins for dessert. Drinks included fresh squeezed limeades, coffee, and wine. In all we enjoyed 14 of the 15 listed items from the list of disappearing foods.

The dinner was a hit and I consider the evening a two-fold success. The information cards spurred good conversations about climate disruption and its consequences, and we all enjoyed ourselves at the same time—an act of total resistance under an administration that wants us to cower in fear and apprehension.

Several in attendance expressed their intention to hold an Earth dinner themselves, a delicious way to spread the word. Perhaps you’d like to join the fun and host a dinner for your family and friends. April 22 is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day #1, but any day will serve to honor and celebrate the generosity of our home planet and remind ourselves what is at stake.

Guests discuss information about the food items at risk.

Another Broken Treaty

On By AnnIn Activism, Author friends, Earth care, Eldering, social justiceLeave a comment
Painting by Ardith Fell

Last fall I met Haskell Indian Nations University professor Daniel Wildcat at the Kansas Book Fair in Topeka. He spoke about his recent book On Indigenuity: Learning the Lessons of Mother Earth (2023 Fulcrum Publishing). Robin Wall Kimmerer calls the book “a compelling framework to rethink the role of the western worldview . . .” His presentation proved compelling as well. I left with a deep sense of gratitude for indigenous leadership in these trying times, and an autographed copy of his book.

That was before the 2024 election reduced our hope for a viable future on this planet to warm ashes. One of the latest hits to our collective understanding of America was the firing of 30% of Haskell’s staff on Valentine’s Day this year. Students were left mid-semester without mentors and instructors. Banned faculty evidently faced arrest should they set foot on campus to teach, even at no compensation. Volunteers require federal approval.

Friends in Lawrence tell me that Haskell is one of two schools the government supports through treaties to provide higher education to Native Americans. The other is Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institution. Both schools had significant cuts enacted on Valentine’s Day.

Another treaty with the Indians, broken like many before.

Do we care?

As Daniel writes in his book, “. . . not caring is too lonely a space to occupy.” He exhorts us in an opening poem to “Stand up. For those whose voices are silenced . . . Stand up. With those who fight for justice unmoved by fear and moved by love.”

As he autographed the book I had purchased, I asked how to express gratitude in his native language. Smiling, he coached me.

Thus: For the long-suffering spirit of resilience that never gives up; for the leadership in treating our home planet with the reverence it deserves; for the quick willingness to forgive us European settlers eons of arrogant thoughtlessness—

Sonjae Keriocitae.

(my attempt at phonetic spelling of the Yuchee/Creek expression for “Thank you.” Any inaccuracies belong to me, the student, not to Prof. Wildcat.)

Let us stand up for the Native Americans and others now, as the rogue government rips uncaring through our communities.

Painting by Ardith Fell

Virtual Town Hall with no Senator Present

On By AnnIn ActivismLeave a comment

On Saturday, February 22, a couple of concerned Kansas citizens hosted a virtual Town Hall with Senator Jerry Moran invited. Over 500 people from every Kansas district attended on Zoom or watched the live YouTube video, but Senator Moran wasn’t one of them. Instead, his spot was an empty chair with his photo and nametag on it. That didn’t stop people from sharing deep concerns about the direction our country has taken since the January inauguration. The 30-some selected speakers shared words spoken with “deep and genuine emotion.”  One person called the collected statements a “perfect pot luck—each statement brings a unique flavor . . . a perfect cross section of concerns.” For over two hours a constant stream of comments from the listeners showed how well the messages resonated with those in attendance. Here’s a sampling:

“The viability of the [US] Constitution is at risk.” “We’re all at a crossroads of peril like never before.” “I cannot believe that MAGA has stooped SO low that people need to be educated about the most fundamental LAWS of this democracy.” “It’s so disheartening to see how low we’ve gone as a country.” “I’m concerned about my private information. What are you going to do to stop this theft, Senator?”

“We are imploring you to act. Musk needs to go, Trump needs to be reined in. He is not a king.” “Retired barely 3 years, I fear for my future. I worry about my young grandchildren and the world they face.” “We are falling into fascism, the time is now, Senator Moran, save this country, we elected you to speak for us.”

“This is ridiculous for us to need to speak up to ask our representatives to follow the constitution!” “Thank you for pointing out the lack of transparency and the insanity of having to plead that our congressional representatives do their job and represent all Kansans.” “Senator Moran—and while we’re at it Senator Marshall—DO YOUR JOB!”

“And we are a country that is supposed be based on law.” “Agree with the concern that the administration is acting illegally – above the law. Without the rule of law none of us are safe.” “Honor your oath, Senator.” “[You] swore to protect the Constitution from even ‘domestic’ opponents.” “Shame on you, Senator Moran!” “Yes, remember your oath, Sen Moran!” “WHY do we have to beg you to honor your oath?”

“Who do you serve, Sen Moran? Your constituents? Or the billionaires running the show now???” “Checks and Balances! Where are you, Sen Moran, and the rest of Congress?” “Where are you and when are you going to step up and stand up to the Trump regime?” “Mr. Moran, why did you not accept the invitation to attend this event?” “​​WHO DO YOU SERVE, Sen Moran???” “Mr. Moran, do you only want to hear from those that agree with you? You are a REPRESENTATIVE of all citizens, not only the ones that agree with you.”

“Senator Moran, are you listening?” “How is it possible that we are having to beg our senator to do the right thing?” “Where are you, Senator Moran? We want answers!!!” “Why do we have to beg to keep the programs that are necessary in order to fund tax cuts that benefit the obscenely rich?” “WHO DO YOU SERVE, Sen Moran???” “We should not have to beg for representation. It’s a terrible time.”

“We need and expect you, Senator, to represent the people of Kansas. We need you to stand up to the current administration.” “This is emotional because we can see it slipping away. Please, Senator Moran, help us save democracy and what we were founded on.” “I have lived under martial law (South Africa), dictatorship (Portugal) and a Marxist government (Mozambique). I’m a US citizen and I deeply value our democracy — help us keep it, Senator!” “It’s unconscionable that we are literally fighting to keep our great country and our democracy intact. In just 4 weeks, the foundations of our government have been so damaged.” “Senator Moran why must we beg you to do your job?”

From a voter on a first-name basis with the senator, “Please Jerry….Listen. Listen. Listen with your heart.”

Interested citizens can watch the recorded meeting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFMCDDooC1U

Rise Up and Ride

On By AnnIn In the Shadow of the Wind, Just for Today, Nature, Prairie talesLeave a comment

Never, no never, did nature say one thing and wisdom say another.  (Edmund Burke)

Heading to Wichita years ago for a Sunday dinner with my husband’s parents, a stiff breeze buffeted our car.

“Look out for that bird!” I yelled. “Why do they do that?”

“Do what?” Craig asked from the driver’s seat.

“Fly at the car. You know, when we’re driving along, it seems like most of the birds sitting on the roadside wait until we’re almost there and then jump into our path. Haven’t you noticed? That last one was a close call.”

“You’ve heard of bird brains, haven’t you?”

“Very funny. Well then, why don’t half of them fly the other way? No wonder so many birds get hit by cars.”

“There’s another reason.”

“What’s that?”

“The wind. It depends what direction the wind is blowing. Watch. There are a couple of meadowlarks up on the crest of the next hill. They will jump into the wind—right at us—to get airborne.”

I studied the larks as we approached. Sure enough, just before we achieved the crest, they each leapt directly into the path of our car. They swerved sharply and fluttered to the north, over a dormant winter pasture.

“Why not just fly away from the car to begin with?”

“They get lift a lot faster if they jump into the wind,” he said.

“Really? You mean they couldn’t fly if they didn’t meet the wind head-on?”

“Pretty much. It probably depends on wind velocity. I think if the wind isn’t too strong, they could take off with a breeze, but it would take more effort to get airborne going with the wind. You see how they turn and go with the wind once they get in the air?”

We watched another pair of meadowlarks follow the same pattern.

“They know they can get up faster heading into the wind, and if the wind is too strong they won’t get lift unless they face into it,” he said.

~~

Since the inauguration of #47, I have felt like one of those larks. A barrage of insane and appalling executive orders sweeps from the White House with category 5 hurricane force, devastating every state in the union regardless of geographic location or political leaning. I don’t know how to begin to resist the devastation, or even to absorb all the news. You may feel the same way. But unless we get out there to face the onslaught and jump headlong into the gale force winds, we’re sunk. In whatever way each of us can manage, we need to launch against the wind of insanity and rise above it to soar toward a better future. Don’t run. Don’t hide. Don’t ignore the news. Instead, rise up and ride on the wings of the wind. It will make a difference for our future.

Wisdom of Geese

On By AnnIn Activism, Eldering, Just for Today, Nature1 Comment

I’ve been trying to figure out what the first step in resistance to tyranny should look like in my life.(Timothy Snyder–“Do not obey in advance.”)

I think perhaps it’s simple: just keep on keepin’ on. I will attempt to do what I do, to be who I am called to be, to stand for my values and ethics through every avenue available to me, as long as I am able.

That step was confirmed by the geese I watched this morning. On my daily route across the pasture, a flock of Canadian geese swept into the sky from their morning pursuit of gleaning seeds from a field across the road. The immediate and overwhelming cacophony stopped me in my tracks. Something had spooked the winged crowd and they all took flight. The racket drowned out even highway noise. They circled for a few minutes, settled quietly down again, and returned to being the geese they were called to be. Kept on. Flew on. Settled down, and returned to their geesehood pursuits.

 

Yes. That’s it. “Do not obey in advance.” Doesn’t mean to ignore stimuli (bad news, calls to action), but do not let it take over my life either. Keep on keepin’ on.

 

As Edmund Burke said, “Never, no never, did Nature say one thing and Wisdom say another.”