Mother's Work for Mother Earth

I was telling Sean yesterday that lately I find myself thinking about a lot of minute details such as "Should I teach the Boodge not to throw rocks ever, or just not to throw them at people, animals, things, etc?" "Should I let him play with the yogurt if it helps him learn to eat, even if it makes a mess?" "Should I kneel here with him while he plays with these big boys in the park, or is it better if I hang back and let him stand his own little ground?" These little trivial questions are the important work of mothering, the daily decisions that go into teaching our child or helping them learn--everything. Into making good, self-sufficient people.

But yesterday I was reminded by this short video that none of that will matter much if our children spend their adult years on a hostile planet where they have to fight for their basic survival. I hope you will take the time to watch this, though I will also warn you that it paints a bit of a bleak picture. Just as I felt when I watched "An Inconvenient Truth", the film put a pit of fear in my stomach, and a simultaneous feeling of hopelessness and desire to do something. Maybe all that the film says won't come true. But whether it does or not, we have to face the reality that we are teetered at a precarious edge when it comes to our planet.

It seems too big to comprehend, impossible to imagine all of humanity coming together and dramatically changing the way we live. We have gone so far astray in our consumer lifestyle. I am just as guilty as anyone, just as used to being able to get what I want, when I want. And the small steps I take such as recycling, washing out my ziplocks, refusing to buy certain things or buying used, trying to walk instead of drive--these are all too small to make the kind of difference needed. The change needs to come at the level of power, of government and corporations, and we need to pressure them too.

Just the thought of beginning to do something daunts me because I feel I'd have to dedicate my entire life to it. But now I see this as another part of my work as a mother--to find a way to help ensure that my child has a safe world to live in. And it is part of the Boodge's work in becoming a good person, self-sufficient. So I'm planting a seed in my mind, looking for what the two of us can do together. As long as we just keep doing more than we did before, that is good enough. This post is a start. I'm thinking me and the Boodge are the founding members of Parents and Children for the Earth's Future. Anyone want to join?