Experiencing the power, peace and purpose of nature and the universe that we are undeniably a part of requires us to experience it first hand. We cannot experience this via proxy. We cannot get our fill through programs on the TV, words on a page, or images on a screen. We have to touch it, breathe it in, let it surround and consume us. Only then can we experience our deep connection to it.

But how many of us find ourselves amidst the comings and goings of our everyday lives to the point where we lose all sense of the natural world around us — what it is, what it provides, and what is at stake if we continue to turn a blind eye to its commercialization and degradation?

I feel as though I have experienced this first hand over the last six weeks. Work has been an absolute bear, consuming more and more time and attention. Annual springtime rights of passage such as kick-starting the garden and new rounds of sports and extra-curricular activities for the kids have been ramping up. Projects around the house — dormant during the winter — have come to life once more with the increasing hours of daylight. All in all, I have felt a major disconnect from the natural world around me, my senses dulled and spirit a bit bridled by my inability to experience a few quiet moments of deep connection with the earth and the stars.

My distractions are not unique in any way. We all find ourselves doing other things that for the moment require our attention and tie up precious physical, mental and spiritual bandwidth that is needed to tune in to the world and universe around us — to feel our interbeing with it and let it nourish us.

As I’ve thought about this, I keep taking a broad view of our culture and thinking that it is just this “preoccupation” with things that could very well be keeping us from opening our eyes to what it is we’re doing to the world around us; the everyday cultural and consumer trappings that are walling us in from the natural world and the suffering of other beings we share this place with; false pursuits that keep us from our true selves.

In short, such preoccupations have built up a Great Wall of Disconnect around us.

We are being cut off from those around us, our communities, and our planet. The Wall blocks our view of the world and our place in it. It barricades our spirits, holding us back from realizing our true selves and our purpose for being. Our common humanity is being broken apart and siloed.

This Wall must be broken through if lasting peace and sustainable prosperity are to be had. But how?

It is here that I wonder what powers might be at play. Have we allowed ourselves to walled in on purpose? Or has the Consumer Machine, powered by the need to feed its engines with the ‘commoditization’ of nature’s resources and devolution of the human experience built this wall intentionally brick by brick with every click of a cash register and fabricated pursuit?

I see how the Wall is going up around me — and it is frightening. I suppose awareness is the first step — the first blow to the mortar that keeps it in place.

I think we all have “walls” like this in one way, shape or form — whether we like to admit it or not. Still, it is through this common experience that we raise the collective awareness needed to bring them down and realize the lasting peace and sustainable prosperity that lies beyond. Here’s to raising the sledgehammer high.

Be well,
Bill

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Some of the more amazing things that have happened since starting The New Pursuit almost two years ago are the fellow bloggers that I’ve had the privilege of meeting and following. The diversity of thought and word that has trickled across my screen — whether via blogs, e-books or emails has been eye-opening, inspiring and down-right soul-soaring at times.

And while I may question from time to time the positive and negative benefits of a world so steeped in technology and connectedness, it is difficult to deny the value of its role in introducing me to and sustaining these new-found friendships. Kindred spirits brought together across the vastness of the miles that separate us by the digital bridge that is the Internet. Common causes that find camaraderie and support through a click here and a keystroke there. Seeds of compassion and peace planted far and wide and nurtured through the written and spoken word. It’s amazing.

With that, I wanted to share some of the people and their work that have moved me over the past couple of years — and I believe, can move you too. I hope you’ll find a quiet moment to reach out and explore what they have to offer.

• Raam Dev (raamdev.com) — Raam’s quiet wisdom is hard to deny. For someone who has traveled the world over, expressing his inner nomad and allowing his experiences to bring forth simple and profound insights about the human experience, he is able to connect with his readers in such an everyday way. I’ve had the good fortune of creating an annual face-to-face get-together at the Cambridge Brew Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where we trade stories, perspectives, and a few good laughs over some local brews. In addition to his thoughts and essays, Raam recently launched his Journal project, with 25% of the revenue generated being donated to charity.
• Lynn Fang (Upcycled Love) — I can’t remember exactly when our paths crossed, but connecting with Lynn has been nothing short of fantastic. Her writing is informative as much as it is inspirational. Pulling from a mix of personal and professional experiences (she’s a biologist by training), Lynn has forged a deep connection with the Earth and all who call it home — and is now helping others do the same. From her amazing weekly letter series, “Embracing the Shift” to her new virtual how-to course on The Art & Science of Urban Composting, Lynn is truly doing her part to lead — as she calls it — the “conscious transformation”.
• Christopher Foster (The Happy Seeker) — Chris is redefining who and what a blogger is. At just about 80 (his birthday is right around the corner), his writing pulls from a lifetime of wisdom-building experiences. From WWII England to living in a spiritual community for 35 years to his time as a journalist, Chris’s stories are like turning the pages of a well-worn novel — moving, comforting, familiar, yet gripping. Speaking of novels, Chris is releasing is his novel “The Raven Who Spoke With God” in Kindle version shortly and as a special thanks to readers has made it available as a FREE download from Amazon on April  6 – 8. Read more about that here.
• Harry Johnson (The Flotsam Diaries) — Harry is one of these people that saw a problem and took the logical next step of rolling up his sleeves to tackle it. The Saco, Maine native has been chronicling his efforts to pick up, document, categorize and chart over 8,000 pieces of trash and debris from the beaches near his home — all in an effort to raise awareness of the horrendous problem of trash and plastics in our oceans and waterways. As a fellow beach-goer myself (our family always brings a bag to collect the trash), Harry’s work hit home in a big way. His effort just goes to show just how much one person CAN do to bring about positive change.
• Robb Kloss (Musings from Aotearoa) — I discovered Robb through the wonderful writer and blogger, Robin Easton. As he puts it, he’s “an American by birth, Kiwi by choice” and his writing is all the more better for it. An avid backpacker and outdoorsman, Robb chronicles his journey through the mountains of New Zealand and life as a husband, father and friend. His vivid descriptions and details of the New Zealand landscape — and pictures to capture the moment — are nothing short of awe inspiring. It’s like you’re there right along him.
• Kristy Powell (One Dress Protest) — Would you wear the same dress (and nothing else) for an entire year? That’s exactly what Kristy did as a small and quiet protest to some of the powers around her — from the link between clothing and identity to rampant consumerism to ecological sustainability. Although her “fast from fashion” concluded this past January, her words and experiences continue to inspire — and are well worth the time of trolling through her archives.

What are some of the writers and bloggers that inspire you?

Be well,
Bill

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There are moments when you have to take a step back and contemplate what we have lost in the face of what we have (supposedly) gained.

The other week I found myself one town over picking up an x-ray at a local medical services building. As is the protocol, I went to the front desk, gave my name and explained what I was there for. The chipper and extremely helpful woman behind the desk said it would be a few minutes, so I went and took a seat amongst the small crowd of other patients.

Then, from the corner of the room, a middle-aged woman leaned over and asked, “Did you grow up in Island Park?”

Island Park is a neighborhood in the town I was in (Portsmouth). My dad grew up there and for the first few years of my life I did as well. We later moved one town over after my parents divorced, but my dad continued to run several restaurants in the Island Park area, serve on the fire department, and be an all-around local guy over the years. “Gerlach” was one of those names that stood out — for multiple reasons.

“My dad grew up there. I only lived there for a few years,” I replied.

She smiled and said, “I used to babysit you and your brother. When I heard you say ‘Gerlach’ and saw your face, I knew it had to be you.”

What transpired next has made me smile ever since: After apologizing for not recognizing her (it was 35 years ago), she went on to explain how she came to be our babysitter, what a wonderful grandmother I had (she called my Nana her “adopted grandmother”), and asked how my parents were doing. We traded what limited memories I could conjure of late 1970′s Island Park life with her filling in the gaps here and there.

Her companion sitting by her side then began to expound on the values and virtues of the people and places of our older generations — our parents and (especially) grandparents who had come before us. How everyone knew everyone else. How you could count on any one of your neighbors to lend a hand — whether it was for a cup of sugar or fixing up something around the house. How life’s staples were never more than a short walk away. How there was a genuine spirit of caring and compassion.

I listened attentively, soaking it all in.  (I had just drafted the post on the not-so-smartphones and his perspective resonated deeply.) As I glanced to either side of me, I saw that others in the waiting room were leaning in on the conversation, smiling at what could only be fond memories of their own (it was an older crowd).

Using this perspective on yesteryear as his foundation, the gentleman then took the opposite angle, calling out many of the ailments of today’s society that have come about as a result of all our “advances”: Cracking relationships, loss of community, declining health (as he pointed to his rotund mid-section), endless hours in the car driving here and there… he went on for a while.

This exchange has stuck with me. It’s given me a new cornerstone of reflection as I think about my family, my community, and society as a whole. What have we really lost? What have we really gained? What is the end point of this modern trajectory of so-called “convenience” and “growth”? Can we stop something with so much momentum behind it? What are the alternatives? Could others care about reclaiming this smallness and intimacy of yesteryear too? Should that be the target as this great change sweeps across the land? How do we get there? Where do we start?

These are big questions. Any maybe not all of them are the right questions.

If I distill my thoughts of the smallness and intimacy of yesteryear down to just a handful of things, I believe that in order to reclaim that, we must focus on the following:

• Relationships — With the people, places and other manifestations of creation that sustain us
• Compassion — A genuine concern for the welfare of all around us and the ability to put the needs of other beings before our own
• Simplicity — In all aspects of our day-to-day life; un-complicating what modernity has complicated on its path of so-called growth and gain
• Fortitude — To face and overcome challenges and adversities; to dig deep and embrace an ethic of creativity, self-sufficiency and resilience within our selves and our communities.

What do you question in this time of change? Is the smallness and intimacy of yesteryear worth reclaiming? What do you see as the trade-off, if anything at all?

Be well,
Bill

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post feel free to share it with your circle using the Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+ buttons below. Not a subscriber to The New Pursuit? Subscribe today. Many thanks. While you’re here, you might also enjoy these posts:

• From Bettering Ourselves to Better Our World: Permission to Take a Stand for Something
• Returning to the Power, Solace and Resilience of Community
• Meditation: Deep Gratitude

[image: John Rizzitelli Photography]

Next time you’re out and about in public, try this simple observation “experiment”: Look at all the people around you. How many are head down in some sort of mobile device? How many are tapping and scrolling and thumb-typing away feverishly, tuned out from everything else around them?

The more I look around the more I see people connected and “plugged in” in places and situations that just a few years ago you wouldn’t have. This past week I had three experiences that put together, have me pondering how much better off we really are with all these things.

• On Tuesday, I picked up my daughter from gymnastics class. Arriving a few minutes early, I headed to the waiting area where there in front of me 75% of the parents were glued to either a smartphone or iPad. I imagine most got there within the past few minutes too.
• On Thursday, my wife and I were attending a concert. As we sat in the theater waiting for the show to begin, we scanned the growing crowd and came to the conclusion that we could have been the only people within sight who weren’t fiddling away on a smartphone. Even groups of people — who clearly came to the show together — were all glued to the glowing orbs of their screens instead of talking to one another.
• Then today, as our family sat in the movie theater waiting for The Lorax to begin, we scanned the crowd and once again, so many people were plugged in to their phones. The example that upset me most was the family of four sitting two rows in front of us. Mom and dad sitting on the ends with their kids in the middle. Dad was playing a game on his smartphone; mom was surfing some site. So much for family bonding.

Full disclosure: I do not own a smartphone or an iPad. Sure, I could be easily wooed by the hype. I could probably create dozens of would-be scenarios where these things could do something for me. But you know what? For 38 years, I’ve survived without one and done just fine. I refuse to let some company create this false need for me. I refuse to fork over hundreds of dollars to buy one and be tied to a monthly service payment that borders on outrageous. Not when there are so many people out there who can’t put food on the table and a roof over their heads. As Leo Babauta puts it, these things are just marketing devices — ones that we all have the power to walk away from.

The (Un)intended Consequences of Being So Connected

According to Forrester Research, 50% of all mobile phones in use in the U.S. are smartphones with this number expected to reach 75% by 2016. The total number of U.S. smartphone users topped 100 million early in 2012. There are over 500,000 apps in the Apple App Store. Over one million apps are downloaded every 49 minutes. Scientific studies have shown how using technology can elicit the same kind of euphoric response in the brain that you might see in a drug addict. That’s a lot of connected people doing a lot of stuff on their phones and getting a lot of satisfaction from it.

But what is all this connectedness costing us? I’m not objecting to technology in principle, but when it permeates every nook of our existence and begs for every waking moment of our being, I fear it is having a negative effect on our selves, our families and our culture. Here are four broad ways why I feel smartphones (or iPads or any other mobile device that connects us) are not making us any better:

• They are replacing human-to-human interaction. The conversation is becoming a thing of the past, a thing of nostalgia harkening back to a time when looking someone in the eye when talking to them connected spirits in a way no machine could ever do.
• They are making us too reliant on an artificial intelligence and not our own. Just like muscles, our brains need to be worked too to stay in tip-top shape. Calculators were the first shot across this bow. Now, when “there’s an app for that”… and that… and that… we’re giving up more and more opportunities to use our own brains and intelligence to carry us through the day.
• They are distracting us from bettering our selves and our world. Your phone can’t replace exercise or meditation. It can’t replace hands-on learning of a new skill. And it sure can’t replace volunteering in your community. Imagine if you replaced 15 minutes of screen time with something that actually gave you a real return on your investment.
• They are separating us from experiencing the Heart of Nature. Sure, you could be outside using your device, but in that scenario Nature is nothing more a high school drama club stage backdrop. We must make ourselves truly present in order to open our hearts to experience all of what the natural world can offer us and rediscover our innate connection to it.

Again, technology isn’t inherently bad. Technology has allowed us to do amazing things. We just need to realize when that line that separates help from hinder is getting close — and then have the fortitude to stay clear of it. For our sake and the sake of all those we hold dear.

Be well,
Bill

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post feel free to share it with your circle using the Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+ buttons below. Not a subscriber to The New Pursuit? Subscribe today. Many thanks. While you’re here, you might also enjoy these posts:

• Catalysts: Find One. Be One. Change Your World.
• 101 Ways to Escape the T.V. Trap and Enjoy Life More
• The 7 Joys of Time Well Spent and How to Realize Them

[image: michitux]

“A shopping cart flipped upside down forms a cage that I use to protect myself from consumerism.”
~ Jarod Kintz

We were just sitting down to dinner. Friends of ours, stopping by for an impromptu visit decided to stay. The kids (all five across our two families) were settled in to their chairs as we brought out the homemade burritos and guacamole, cups of chocolate milk and a few local brews.

Then it happened. The phone rang.

Glancing at the Caller ID I knew the caller wasn’t anybody we knew. But it in a fit of defensive posturing I answered, knowing full well it was someone on the other end trying to get me to do or buy something. I was greeted by one of the more creative automated telemarketing messages in a while: A voice stating that “This was a missing dog alert”. Upon repeating that message, it appeared to be cut off or skip like a scratchy record — only to be interrupted by a second message stating “Press One if this message is skipping.”

Come on.

But here it was — another attempt by some entity to get me to spend my time and money in a way that I had no desire to: “Refinance you mortgage!”, “This is your LAST chance to eliminate your credit card debt!”, “We’re doing free carpet cleaning demonstrations in your area — are you interested?”, “We’re a public opinion company and would like to interview the oldest registered voter for XYZ.” I’m sure you’ve heard them all too.

The Growing Desperation of the Consumer Machine

I feel like the volume of this unsolicited *crap* is growing. Since we don’t have cable and listen mostly to National Public Radio, I only feel it in what comes over the phone and through the mailbox. If fact, eliminating the influence of commercials was one of the primary reasons we ditched cable in the first place.

Taking a step back though, it feels as if the Consumer Machine is reaching a new level of desperation. Like a crazed, withering vampire frenetically searching for a drop of life-sustaining blood before sunrise to keep him going.

Why? Is the Machine trying to keep itself from dying out? Or is it attempting to ride some wave of a so-called rebounding economy? Maybe. But I think it’s something else entirely.

Shackles, Tethers and the Binding of Our Beings

In part, I feel as if the Consumer Machine has up the ante on its offensive push because it has realized its own vulnerability in the face of a growing wave of change. More and more people are realizing that their lives can be more FREE and satisfying once they break free of the shackles of modern consumerism. Living deeply and deliberately each day requires few things that aren’t already given to us freely in this world.

Seeing the crack in their own armor, the Machine is stepping up its offensive to keep our spirits tethered to the artificial and fabricated, brainwash us into accepting this false dependency on what they are selling, and keep us bound to an ideology of materialism. They will do anything in their power to blind us to our innate perfection; anything to make us think we need THIS or THAT in order to be happy and satisfied; anything to make our minds, bodies and spirits beholden to their stuff — material or otherwise.

For far too long, the Consumer Machine has controlled the theater of consumer warfare, dictating every move and countering any attempt to win even one battle by us, individuals who dare to challenge their long-held reign. But a great change is underway…

An Invitation to Live Deeply Each Day

We are beautiful just the way we are. We are innately complete and whole. We can find peace by practicing peace ourselves. Harmony and balance — with each other and the natural world — should be the norm, not the exception.

The bottom line is that we do not need to be a part of the Consumer Machine because what is near and dear in this world can never come from it. We do not need to feed it. We do not need its output. Happiness will always come from within and from those who are closest to us. Friendships, experiences, simple pleasures, loved ones — these are what we need to consume each day to fortify our minds, bodies and spirits.

How have you challenged the Consumer Machine? Do you see their signs of desperation around you? What advice would you give others to empower their ability to be a part of this Change?

Be well,
Bill

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post feel free to share it with your circle using the Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+ buttons below. Not a subscriber to The New Pursuit? Subscribe today. Many thanks. While you’re here, you might also enjoy these posts:

• 16 Simple Ways to Practice Mindful Consumption in a Hyper-Consumer World
• Consumption Junction: 5 Steps Towards Reclaiming the Lost Art of Moderation
• An Open Letter to CEOs Who Make and Sell Stuff

[Image: Ben Heine via flickr]

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~ May Sarton

It’s about that time again.

While winter hasn’t really felt like winter all that much this season, one thing is for sure: The gardening bug is starting to set in.

The days are getting longer, with the sun keeping me company on my drive home from work each day. Here and there early spring perennials seem to be fooled by the mild winter weather and popping up. The birds and squirrels are venturing out more and more.

If you’re a gardener, you know what the “bug” feels like. If not, no worries. But be forewarned: It can be VERY contagious when you learn what cozy-ing up with a patch of luscious soil and a few seeds can do for your entire being. For me, getting out and spending time in the garden is an antidote to a culture that saturates us with all things unnatural and fabricated. A culture that begs to keep our attention indoors instead of out. Growing some of our own food and flowers slows me down and makes me mindful of what it means to be reconnected with the natural rhythms of life.

The other great thing about gardening is that it’s a life-long learning process. There are no “mistakes” – and always something to try out or do differently. And that’s where my mistakes will hopefully benefit you this growing season. Here are some of my a-ha’s, tips and lessons learned from last year’s garden:

• Set Realistic Goals. We went all-out last year with our most ambitious growing plan to date in an attempt to maximize each square foot of our nine raised beds — companion and succession planting schemes, lots of trellises, and a boatload of seeds. Inevitably, our attention was needed for other things and we couldn’t deliver on our ambitions. Start small – whether a single pot, planter or raised bed – and be successful there first. Grow from there.
• Have a Plan. We keep a notebook to track each season’s efforts — what we planted, when, where, and any insights gleaned through the growing process. Now, you don’t need to have a landscape architect-esque drawings or a military-precision execution plan, but it does help to be a tad organized. Know when you should plant your seeds and where (inside or direct sow outside); make sure the tall stuff doesn’t block out too much of the sun for the smaller things in your garden; commit to watering before the sun is high and hot in the day to conserve water and protect your plants.
• You Can Never Do Enough for Healthy Soil. I’m a compost-a-holic and do everything I can to crank out as many batches of the “brown gold” as possible. Even then, I would skimp here and there for one reason or another. If you take care of your soil, it will take care of you in the form of beautiful and bountiful plants. While you can always buy compost and leaf mold, it’s way more fun to make it on your own (if you have the means). I try to have a rough 50/50 mix of soil and compost/leaf mold in all our beds, but any amount of that organic material is better than nothing.
• Plant What You Like to Eat — Especially If You Can Store It. Sounds obvious, but a lot of times you can get caught up in trying to have a cornucopia of plants growing in the garden. After a lot of trial and error, we’re adopting a three-fold approach of 1) Not planting anything that we can get a better product from a local farmer (i.e., corn, potatoes); 2) Planting more of what we use for a variety of meals and recipes (i.e., tomatoes, squashes, beans, peas, leafy greens); and 3) Planting foods that we can prepare for longer-term storage to keep the harvest going long after summer is gone (i.e., onions, garlic, cukes for pickles and relishes).
• Put the Time In to Nurture Perennial Crops. Three years ago we planted a small raspberry patch. While I’ve cut back the second-year growth after fruiting, I’ve let it spread in a way that is both unsightly and unproductive. This year, I’ll be setting up proper T-trellises to support the canes and make it easier to harvest the fruit. In a similar fashion, I got lazy and failed to over-winter our strawberries with straw two years ago. Last season, our yield paid the price. Now the patch is in rehab and I’m keeping my fingers crossed! The lesson here: Set aside time during and after the growing season to put some TLC (tender loving care) into your garden so that it will continue to give back to you.
• Don’t Start Your Seeds TOO Early. We went gung-ho last year when it came to starting as many plants from seeds. I made two mistakes that ended up compounding the problem: 1) I started seeds too early; and 2) I failed to transplant tender seedlings out of their peat starters and into larger pots containing my 50/50 soil/compost mix. The result: My tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and other things started indoors were small and weak when I attempted to transplant them outside. While they eventually took off it was late in the season and the fruits didn’t have adequate time to mature.

If this is going to be the year you take your first steps as a gardener (or are even thinking about it) — or even if you have a time-tested green thumb — I recommend checking out the A-to-Z tutorials over at Organic Gardening for some great know-how.

What have been some of your “mistakes” out in the garden? What is your favorite gardening/growing food resource or blog? Leave a comment and share with everyone. Thanks!

Be well,
Bill

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post feel free to share it with your circle using the Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+ buttons below. Not a subscriber to The New Pursuit? Subscribe today. Many thanks. While you’re here, you might also enjoy these posts:

• A Family Guide to Vegetarian Eating
• Nature as Mentor: 6 Life Lessons Gardens Can Teach Our Children
• Rejuvenation: 5 Simple Steps for Feeling Lighter This Spring

Two-by-two the kids made their way down the path. The air was cool and crisp; the sky blue with wispy cirrus clouds creating a patchwork blanket as far as the eye could see. Even standing at the end of the pack, you could hear and feel the kids’ excitement as they kept their eyes peeled for signs of wildlife. For some, this was the first time they had ever done anything like this.

We made stops along the way:  To learn the basics of navigating by compass; to pick immature rose hips and learn about using them for jams; to nestle under a dense patch of vines and brush to learn about the importance of protecting one’s self from the elements in a survival situation; to crouch our way through an overgrown shrub ‘forest’ and challenge the kids to make simple lean-tos out of the fallen branches.

So where was this adventure from? An amazing outdoor experience program presented by the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Newport, Rhode Island. Our oldest son turned nine over the weekend and we invited some of his friends to join us there.

The program was led by one of the NBS’s talented staff members and from the moment she came in, she had all the kids wide-eyed and attentive. The kids learned about what a nature sanctuary is and why it’s important to have them. When she asked questions, the kids answered eagerly and with conviction. Their insight into the natural world — even amidst all that is man-made — was intact. Their curiosity was infectious and spread like wildfire across the group.

I’ll say it again: Connecting kids and Nature is one of THE most important responsibilities we have in this world if we are to foster and re-discover our deep-seeded connection with the natural world.

The more I see kids (and the adults who are with them) experiencing first-hand what it feels like to be completely immersed in the outdoors, the more optimism I feel that our future doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. All we have to do is open our senses to the masterpiece that is before us: The symphonies of sounds and colors and shapes and smells that can ground us in simple and pure joy. The poetry in motion that a walk in the woods or a glimpse of a red-tailed hawk soaring above sets before us.

To those who are on the front lines of connecting kids with nature, thank you.

As winter winds its way down and spring creeps ever closer, now is the time to think about how you can help a child experience Nature first-hand. Find out where the state parks are where you live. Or seek out a national park or hiking trail near by. Search for organizations like the Audubon Society or clubs in your community that offer programs with outdoor classrooms. Start planning a garden for your home or school. Opportunities abound – all we need to do is make the connections.

What are your memories of connecting with Nature for the first time? Has there been one experience that stands out above all others? Can you describe how it made you feel?

Be well,
Bill

Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this post feel free to share it with your circle using the Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+ buttons below. Not a subscriber to The New Pursuit? Subscribe today. Many thanks. While you’re here, you might also enjoy these posts:

• Why Connecting Kids With Nature Could Save the World (Part 1)
• 12 Favorite Books for Connecting Kids with Nature and Life
• “When Your Heart Is Beautiful”: Relishing the Simple Insights of Children

[Editor's Note: Earlier this week during one of my nightly jaunts to do some chores outside, I was captivated by my surroundings in a way I hadn't felt before. It's been a long time since I wrote -- and shared so quickly -- poetry. I hope it can deliver a sense of what I experienced.]

The cold –
piercing shiver of solitude
Riding the back of the bitter wind
it impales with feelings of frailty

The night –
enveloping velvet black simplicity
Swift softness of its caressing touch
so quick to calm this burdened brow

The stars –
cascading cosmic hailstorm of divine light
Holes to the heavens give the spirit glimpses
into that which unites us with All

Lay with me. Cover me. Deliver me back to my true Self.

space

[Editor's Note: This post originally appeared in the Tiverton/Little Compton Rhode Island Patch, where I've started blogging on redefining the suburban experience as a way to help drive dialogue in my community on issues that I believe are important to our vitality and resilience. Given that you could easily replace Tiverton and Little Compton with your own community, I thought I would share it with everyone. Feel free to view the original and read the ensuing comments.]

Communities are living, breathing entities. Thinking, feeling things guided by a collective conscience and general moral compass. A whole that in many ways is the sum of its parts.

The laws of nature also apply to communities: There is life, there is passing; there is the constant of change that weaves its way through all the moments in-between; there is internal and external growth and evolution sparked by day-to-day experiences.

Amidst the challenges and struggles, successes and accomplishments, communities thrive on. How might you ask? Remember those “parts” from a few paragraphs before? Those are you and me; our families and our neighbors. Everyone coming together not only for the benefit of each other but the collective whole. Community living is all about the give and take; a real live stone soup of sorts, where everyone has something to contribute to make it the best it can be.

But alas, we continue to live in polarized times fraught with pointing fingers, blaring bullhorns, and internet anonymity that makes it okay to belittle and degrade your neighbors; economic, social and environmental tensions that unfortunately only seem to drive the wedge deeper instead of inspiring innovation, collaboration and good old fashion ingenuity.

I haven’t spent much time on The Patch, but from what I’ve observed and partaken in terms of “dialogue” has been far from uplifting. Given that, I’ve taken the liberty of capturing a list of five surefire ways to take the “unity” out of community, snuff out resiliency and not help it thrive:

1. Scream From the Sidelines. Communities are participatory in nature. Playing armchair or Monday Morning quarterback won’t change anything. If you don’t like how things are, get involved and apply your thoughts, time and talents directly.
2. Beat Down Ideas. Similar to #1, if you’re not adding ideas to the mix, you shouldn’t be so quick to shoot down those of others. Bring your chips to the table if you want play a hand.
3. Spew from the Ideologue’s Pulpit. Whether you drift far to the left or right, communities balance best when positioned from the center of the political and social fulcrum. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinions and positions, but at some point, if the center can’t be found, you’re only sliding off to one side or the other.
4. Spend Your Dollars Elsewhere. Not supporting (y)our local economic base only fuels the budget and tax debate (debacle?). It’s been proven over and over again that supporting local businesses allows money to stay in the community and be paid forward. Can’t find what you’re looking for here? Maybe that’s your cue to pursue a business opportunity yourself.
5. Think It’s an Eternal “Us” Versus “Them” Struggle. This is so old. It doesn’t work in Washington. It doesn’t work in Providence. It sure as heck doesn’t work at the local level either. We have to find the courage to get away from playing this card, find common ground and fix the problems that we believe are before us.

When are we going to get past all of this, roll up our sleeves and get down to work? Our communities, so fortunate to be nestled in this neck of the woods continue to set the stage for great things – smart, sensible and resilient things that pave the way for communal prosperity at every turn.

We teach our kids to share and play nice in the sandbox; to practice compassion and kindness; to use words to build up, not hurt others; that they can do anything they set their minds to. Why is it that all that flies out the window when you become a taxpayer?

We all can do better.

[image: sara gerlach]

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In a few short days, 2011 will come to a close and the new year will begin. Naturally, there is reflection. Passing time is like a rearview mirror of sorts; a window back into our lives that is cast wide open when we want it to be.

With each passing year, time feels to move quicker. I wonder why that is. Perhaps it is because we find ourselves trying to live amidst a world in warp-drive. Or maybe the journey out of childhood dulls the senses and clouds our ability to get lost in the innocence of the moment.

Regardless, I wanted to share a few things that I’ve reflected on these past few weeks:

Know-How

At the start of the year, I set out to learn a few things intentionally. Building out my self-sufficiency “tool kit” is important in my eyes — and believe me, I have a long way to go!

• Seed Saving — This was high on my to-do list. Learning to save the seeds from what we’re growing in the garden is a win-win on so many fronts. From saving money to becoming more self-reliant, learning how to propagate what you’ve already invested in is a throw-back skill worth reviving. A busy summer of Little League Baseball (I coached three teams) didn’t allow me as much time to devote to this as I would have liked, but I did manage to harvest and prepare seeds for some melon, sugar snap peas, asparagus, and even a hosta for one of our flower beds. The book I learned from is Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Gardeners (not an affiliate link).
• Preparing Foods from Scratch — Most of this came out of our two-week 125-mile local food challenge. Preparing certain kinds of food from scratch (as opposed to buying them already made in the store) allowed us to know exactly what went into it and gave us the opportunity to learn a few more self-sufficiency skills. It didn’t hurt that with a little investment of time, you saved some money in the process. Here are some recipes we used: yogurt, ghee, bagels.

Insights

For me, insights represent more internalized learning than external. They stem from a particular in-the-moment experience and leave a meaningful imprint on your being.

• Living in the NOW does not mean that all your life’s work must also happen NOW. Plans need time to unfold and come to fruition.
• Learning to look at life through another person’s eyes gives you an important perspective on any experience. This is particularly true in parenting.
• Nature is the lens through which we can observe simple perfection in action. It is the true mirror of what the human experience should reflect.
• Bad habits cannot be allowed to continually define you. You cannot hang the proverbial coat of your being on them. They must be broken and buried, especially when very important people are counting on it.
• Only the empty vessel can be filled; interference will block signals from coming through; baggage will keep you from traveling light and free. (Various metaphors for the need to shed what is unnecessary in our lives in order for more important, more fulfilling things to carry us.)

Favorite Finds

I love how new “discoveries” happen. You’re searching for one thing (or not searching at all) and there it is — something or someone who opens your senses a bit more to the world around you. Here are a few that you might want to check out too.

• Favorite New Blogger — Hands down, this is Ben Hewitt. He’s an author, blogger, activist, off-the-grid-living family man who I heard speak at this year’s Bioneers by the Bay Connecting for Change Conference. Ben’s writing is simple and powerful, fueled by perspective and experiences that challenge the status-quo at every turn.
• Favorite New Author — I mostly read non-fiction and admittedly have a tough time making it all the way to the end of a book because I read so slowly. But not the case for author Daniel Pinchbeck. While he’s written for the likes of Esquire, The New York Times Magazine and Rolling Stone, it’s his book-length writing that captured me. I recently wrapped up 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl — his amazing exploration of the various prophesies, scientific research and cultural exploits around what many feel is a forthcoming evolutionary step in consciousness. His writing is deep yet hip all at the same time.
• Favorite New Music – A few months ago, we discovered Spotify, a (free and legal) music service that completely rocks. There hasn’t been an genre, artist or album we haven’t been able to listen to. My two new favorites: This Will Destroy You (amazing acoustic/electric instrumentals) and William Fitzsimmons (ranks up there with Ray LaMontagne for song writing). Because of Spotify, I’ve begun a new round of CD purging. Why keep them?

What’s next? I am thinking through what is in store for 2012 — on the home front, here at The New Pursuit, with my other writing, in our community, etc. After nearly two years here, I feel it’s time for a facelift of sorts. I would love any feedback you have on the site and my writing. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me a note. Thanks for your candor and continued support.

Wishing you well in the New Year,
Bill

[image: collette v]