The first day of spring is nearly here for my part of the world. The land where I live has decided to celebrate with sun and warmth after a dreary spell of cold and rain. Tiny slivers of bright green are unfolding on many of the plants.
After a frenzy of writing in February I am finding myself creatively back in the heart of winter, rooting, waiting for some buds to emerge. So while I wait for that to happen I will share four things I have been thinking about lately that I think are interconnected.
- Self-help culture is everywhere with tips and tricks (and purchases) to make you a better version of yourself. The message is we need fixing.
- I often hear people discussing the climate crisis and, most often, the focus is on what humans need to do to fix it.
- Three years ago the world shut down and we witnessed a spring like no other in recent memory. Dolphins came swimming down channels, gardens flourished, coyotes strolled down streets. We quieted down and made space and what happened? Our more-than-human kin showed up.
- People discuss human rights, racism, and oppression. Allies ask, “What can I do?” and communities say, “Make space. Give us the mic, the column in the publication, the book, the job, and let us lead, especially about decisions that impact us.”
These four things side-by-side lead me to ask: What would happen if we think less about fixing, and more about making space—not only for other life to exist alongside us, but for ourselves as well? Might other species know exactly what needs to be done if only we make space to let them do so? Might we feel better, more connected, more healthy, if we allowed ourselves and others to be as we are? What justice emerges from spaciousness?