My brain has started to think in sound bites (or protest placards): The end is nigh, Apocalypse now, Abandon all hope... Wish I could just think of something else for a change. Watch some cat videos perhaps...
Surely, if "Climate Change" were such a big thing, we should all know about it by now. Imagine if a meteorite were heading for Earth, destined to destroy our planet in a few years' time. No-one would be talking about anything else. The newspapers would be full of it. There would be a countdown, an actual Doomsday Clock. We would not be able to ignore it. We would be panicking!
And yet, despite the urgency and my not being able to think of anything else, I feel as if I cannot (yet) speak about this to anyone. I am still stuck in the post-denial phase. I feel that I need to slowly come to terms with the coming Climate Breakdown before I can tell anyone about it. Like someone who has been given news of a terminal illness: you need to digest it before you can tell your friends and your family about it. Grieve. Cry in private. Figure out a way forward.
Some days though, I feel as if I need to shake people out of their apathy/denial/ignorance. Worried about your weight, worried about your Maths test, worried about what to wear? It doesn't bloody matter! We're all going to die soon if we don't all do everything we can think of to limit the damage that Climate Breakdown is going to throw at us. Bit harsh? Maybe. Should try to not lose all my friends in one go.
So, I don't say any of that. I don't feel ready to have these hard conversations with people. I want them to live their Happy Lives for a bit longer so that they don't have to feel like I do. Sad and anxious and powerless and angry.
I am starting to feel like Sarah Connor who has to prepare for a future that no-one believes will come. The other day I said to my husband that maybe the kids should take shooting lessons. If you know me, you'd know that this is super weird and out of character. He asked why, and I said "so that they can protect our farm in Finland from Climate Apocalypse bandits." Maybe I've watched too many post-apocalyptic movies in my day. (And we don't have a farm in Finland.)
Maybe by writing this, and by reading what others are going through, I will get some clarity on the way forward. I want to believe that we can still turn this around. I want to believe that our amazing world and (most of) its creatures will be saved and that we will still be here to marvel at them many years from now. And that I will see my children grow up. And maybe even have some grandchildren one day.
Surely, if "Climate Change" were such a big thing, we should all know about it by now. Imagine if a meteorite were heading for Earth, destined to destroy our planet in a few years' time. No-one would be talking about anything else. The newspapers would be full of it. There would be a countdown, an actual Doomsday Clock. We would not be able to ignore it. We would be panicking!
And if there were the slightest chance that we could stop our planet from being destroyed, we would surely all jump at this and be prepared to do whatever it takes. Like in times of war, when you are asked to give up your luxuries for The Greater Good. I've never lived through a war, so I don't really know what it is like or if people were willing (happy?) to give up a whole lot in order to save everyone else? But, I'd like to believe that people are naturally altruistic.
Some days though, I feel as if I need to shake people out of their apathy/denial/ignorance. Worried about your weight, worried about your Maths test, worried about what to wear? It doesn't bloody matter! We're all going to die soon if we don't all do everything we can think of to limit the damage that Climate Breakdown is going to throw at us. Bit harsh? Maybe. Should try to not lose all my friends in one go.
So, I don't say any of that. I don't feel ready to have these hard conversations with people. I want them to live their Happy Lives for a bit longer so that they don't have to feel like I do. Sad and anxious and powerless and angry.
I am starting to feel like Sarah Connor who has to prepare for a future that no-one believes will come. The other day I said to my husband that maybe the kids should take shooting lessons. If you know me, you'd know that this is super weird and out of character. He asked why, and I said "so that they can protect our farm in Finland from Climate Apocalypse bandits." Maybe I've watched too many post-apocalyptic movies in my day. (And we don't have a farm in Finland.)
Maybe by writing this, and by reading what others are going through, I will get some clarity on the way forward. I want to believe that we can still turn this around. I want to believe that our amazing world and (most of) its creatures will be saved and that we will still be here to marvel at them many years from now. And that I will see my children grow up. And maybe even have some grandchildren one day.
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