Awaking My Activism

"Until you have done something for humanity, you should be ashamed to die." - Horace Mann

Though already pretty skilled at beating myself up, I was chastened stumbling across Horace Mann's admonishment recently. Soon after, I realized how fortunate I am to have a wife that has helped kicked my long latent activism into higher gear. Who helps remind you of your responsibility to make the world a better place?

My wife's involvement with the issue of climate change has been inspiring as well as educational. As her commitment to act deepens, my previous lethargy dissipates. The other activists she has met represent a wide swath - business men and women, scientists, clergy - people who are bracing to be around. And not one fits the stereotype of the humorless environmentalist. To a person they are positive, educated, engaged. Common sense solutions, like making your vote count, take precedence over doom and gloom.

At a recent vigil we attended, individuals spoke on behalf of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikh. I was moved by the commonality of scripture cited from each faith represented. We all inhabit the same world. We are an interdependent human species. If we continue ignoring the science, we all pay the price.