I had barely awakened this morning when the rain began. It was a downpour. There was little wind – only the rumble of thunder now and then. It is the kind of morning I relish, with the fresh scent of just washed air streaming through the window. It has turned out to be one of those cool summers with a high of only 64℉ predicted for today. The plants in my garden are reluctant to grow, but this does not diminish my enjoyment of the unusual abundance of rain that we have been blessed with this year.
Other parts of the country have been plagued with drought and smoke from the wildfires in Canada sometimes drifts down here, enveloping the sky in haze. Many places further north, especially the Arctic, are experiencing warmer temperatures as glaciers continue to melt. Still, we go through our lives either enjoying, or complaining about the weather that comes our way. I love rain every bit as much as a warm, sunny day; but while I am grateful for the rain, I am also concerned. Catastrophic weather events continue to occur worldwide and we can no longer afford to be complacent.
We, the people, must demand that our governments take immediate action to fight climate change. We must reduce the use of fossil fuels and our carbon footprint, to help halt rising sea levels. We must hold enterprises accountable for their contribution to what could ultimately be our undoing. Many people do not care about the loss of thousands of species, or the fact that polar bears are facing extinction; but they care when a tornado rips through their town, or a wildfire destroys their home. It hits them in the pocketbook – the only thing that will jar them enough to reconsider their personal impact on Earth.
I have no problem accepting what is when it is something I enjoy, such as this morning’s lovely rain. At the same time, I know that as a human being living on this planet and as a citizen of Earth, I must do what I can to facilitate positive change. On this beautiful, rainy morning I know that above all, I must remain hopeful.
