We see
the devastating effects of climate change.
We are beginning to know
climate grief, anxiety, loss, despair.
Is climate hope possible?
It’s the Ides of March. I attend the School Strike 4 Climate in Sydney.
My body propels me there.
The soul
of my being
ignites me
to join the throng of passionate youth.
School Strike 4 Climate
March, 2019 in Sydney
It is a privilege. I am moved.
John Lennon’s Imagine plays over the sound system. Thousands sing along. Those who know the song best are the mainly older women supporting the mainly younger women who form the phalanx, the guts, the heart, the mass movement.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
How can I not cry, given the presence of considered, compassionate youthful force, coupled with That Song? Lucky I’m not the mother or grandmother of a self-conscious teen, as my river of tears pours down, down, into our damaged earth.
My thirteen year old self would have said, ‘How embarrassing’, and shrunk behind a rock.
However, self-consciousness doesn’t appear to dominate the scene.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
Amazing, inspiring young women such as Jean Hinchliffe, age fifteen, host the huge rally and speak with extraordinary clarity and strength.
They are the sensible ones.
They are the alert, proactive, reality-based ones.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
The old, right, white, male politicians? The new old Roman emperors who loll and bumble on their hot beds of greed, corruption and inaction? Or even take retrograde, destructive, willful action on a large scale?
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
Do they care?
Do they care about the world, or not-world, they are leaving for their progeny?
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
I won’t bang on. This is Art and Soul Space, after all. A place of light, but deep sharing of creative connection.
Meaningful creative connection
permeates the rally.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
See Jean’s TEDx talk here. Her talk begins after about 25 minutes of proceedings.
As she says, she and her colleagues
might be too young to vote,
but they are not too young to take action.
See an article by Mary Robinson (ex-president of Ireland) here. Climate Change Denial is Evil.
See Artists and Climate Change blog site here.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
And the thousands of young women and men, the school children? They are considerate and polite, as well as fierce.
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
Listen…
What is that sound?
Could it?
No, surely not. Could it be
the tinkle, the rustle, the whisper
of Climate Hope?
School Strike 4 Climate
Sydney in March, 2019
with love, art and soul
from Sally
Art and Soul Space 
Oh Sal, looking at this now – with post election sadness. The lack of…the list is long – intelligence? humanity? reflectiveness? goodness? in the climate change deniers, the pollies, the voters is bewildering. Its tricky winning the hearts and minds of those that use filters of untruth or block because of fear that it just might be true. It goes way past petty party politics and tribalism, whose team you barrack for. What to be done?
In the words of the Dalai Lama “Never give up”, but balanced with wise self-care, togetherness, mindfulness and humour to protect against despair.
It’s special too the amazing people I am starting to meet that understand and realise standing by the side-lines is not an option. Not this time.
With love, to you, the earth and animals, to the industrialists and the protesters – we are all connected.
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Thank you kindly, Rosalie. Your words are filled with wisdom and care. Wishing you tenderness in your post-election recovery. I like your (sort of) formula. (I nearly typed four-mula!) 1. Wise self-care 2. Togetherness 3. Mindfulness 4. Humour. Yes yes yes yes! Love Sally
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