“Are you invested in the survival of the human race?”
This question came from someone in my city public works department who I often interface with on important matters regarding ecosystems in my neighborhood. He always takes time to answer my questions and listen to my concerns, and I value his opinions and questions immensely.
The implication behind his question was that maybe I shouldn’t get so worked up about environmental issues such as what I call “intrusive and violent” landscape maintenance norms.
I had been percolating his question and attempting to formulate my answer, when fortuitously from my Facebook feed, came a beautiful onramp! (See, social media is not all bad! Sometimes it gives us a little boost!)
A person on Facebook named Nigel Jones (wonderful page; instant follow!) made reference to trying to avert the sixth extinction.
To which I responded:
— Regarding the OP’s comment about averting the sixth mass extinction, I don’t know if that’s possible anymore at this point, but I’m certainly going to keep trying and never give up! That aside, regardless of whether the extinction is inevitable, I am here to ease the suffering and increase the joy and comfort of my fellow humans and other fellow creatures while we are all here. A mind-set that is sort of parallel to my work as a death Doula.