Big, Bad Things Over Which We Have No Control

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdFjxhDOKNQ[/youtube]

Baeth Davis recently reminded me of this great scene from 1989’s "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," in which Andie MacDowell’s character worries about what we’re going to do with all the garbage. She so perfectly portrays our modern angst that has us focused on big problems that are seemingly beyond our ability to solve. What’s the alternative? she asks. Happiness is not all it’s cracked up to be. After all, she says, the last time I was really happy, I gained 25 pounds!

GOforChange has always been focused on what we CAN do, which, interestingly, starts with appreciation , wonder, awe , and gratitude . All that "happy" stuff. Why? Because one of the laws of the universe is that what we focus on, expands. So, if we spend most of our days worrying about the state of the environment, melting polar ice caps, the Pacific Trash Vortex, shrimp by-catch, mountaintop removal, topsoil loss, oil spills — I could go on and on and on (and in the past,  I have!), I have a stunning bit of news: we will get more of the same.

This is a paradox that, believe me, I am just as stumped by as the next tree-hugger. I plan to devote a lot of brainpower to this in the coming months. HOW can we tread that fine line between raising awareness of our impact and painting a compelling picture of how we could be living? I maintain that we CAN — and indeed, must — focus on happiness in order to realign our lives to be good for the earth.  And, don’t worry — if you are eating a lot of locally-sourced plant-based foods and whole grains, you can even maintain a healthy weight.

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