When I was five years old, I was in grade 1. I started the year in kindergarten, but I could already read, and they still did that then, so I was moved to grade 1 after 6 weeks. I was still the first one in the class to learn to tell time and tie my shoes. I had a few moments of being a star (in a very tiny rural Newfoundland outport).
At the Christmas concert, my mother tells me, I started the show. I went out on stage by myself and sang, “Rock-a-bye Baby” (It might have been Twinkle Twinkle or Baa-Baa Black Sheep. I don’t actually remember this.) I was also in the choir and the class probably sang something. It was a small rural school. I’m sure everybody was included. My mother tells me that after the concert she came up and asked, “Were you nervous?” and I said, “No. Somebody has to go first.” (I’ve been working on getting that confidence back.)
I feel the same way about this “sustainable lifestyle” thing that we’re trying to grow, as a movement, as a network, as whatever it is that we’re doing here. It’s experimental. It’s not new, but the particular combinations of strategies are novel in that there is intention to them. It is not just the way we do things here, it is a conscious choice to turn away from ‘the way things are’. How do we decide where to live? Once we’ve made that decision, how do we make the best of where we are? Rural or urban? How do we make a meaningful sustainable life in the suburbs?
We aren’t quite sure what we’re doing, but we’re pretty sure that somebody has to do something. And somebody has to go first.
Join us?
One response to “Somebody has to go first.”
I think fear is one’s biggest enemy. And anticipation it’s force.
Use to be that I was scared to talk to people, I was so shy. I was brought to upheaval having to think I was going to have to give speeches in front of my courses when I got to college. But overtime you grow accustom to it, get to like it even. Still nervous sometimes.. sure.. but damn it feels good when you can connect with the crowd..
I find most things in life are like this. Most people don’t really care to break their routine or the way they do things. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it right? But if we live by that then we stop growing. We never realize our true potential, our strengths and weaknesses. All things one needs to know.
So here’s my suggestion. Take a look at what’s going on around the world, the country, in your back yard.. See the Gloom and Doom and become exasperate if you must.. but then move beyond that. See what YOU can do, how you can help you community, the planet.. What we do may seem small, but if others see you living your beliefs, they may join you, or come up with their own way to help out.