Growing up I often heard the phrase “many hands make light work.” This was especially used when the tasks were not necessarily pleasant or easy, seeming like it would take forever or be impossible for just one person to do. These days we are confronted with many problems and situations which seem initially to have no easy solution and the various perspectives look entrenched, allowing for little “wiggle room,” let alone compromise.
This past July we had three days which recorded the hottest worldwide temperatures, according to Copernicus, the European Climate Agency. All three days were above the previous record measured in July 2023, and that month was followed by 13 straight months of increasing hotter monthly temperatures over the previous years, reported by the Associated Press. When faced with such a seemingly insurmountable task of this very real crisis, what can we do?
Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua edited a book of articles called Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility. The book brings together contributions of over 20 writers sharing their experiences of transition from despair to possibility. In her end of the book review, Rebecca wrote that “two intertwined themes run through all the pieces in this book. One is love, and the other is community.” Love for coming generations, love for the community around us, for the natural world, for justice, for truth and for possibility.
She also writes “a lot of climate grief seems to be connected to loneliness, to the sense that no one cares, or the people in power don’t care.” But we need to stop thinking and acting as individuals only and join with others in this cause. Being with people who care helps. It is in relationships and alliances that communities come together and amazing progress and healing happens.
The Climate Crisis Action Committee is reaching out to make connections and seeking to show possibilities to move forward to counter declarations of climate doom and despair by offering speakers and movies during our Faith Formation classes. Looking further into the community, everyone is invited to participate in the Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light Annual Convergence to be held virtually from 1:00 to 6:00 pm on Sunday, September 29th. You can meet with people of various faith backgrounds from around the Commonwealth who are concerned about the climate crisis and are meeting, taking action on legislation and providing educational and spiritual opportunities. Further event details will be forthcoming. We all can move from climate despair to possibility when we do it in community and with love.
Damon Wagner Fields, Climate Crisis Action Committee
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