15th August 2016 |
Ruth Valerio |
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Just living
A week or two on Bardsey may teach me some important things, but the challenge is how I live out what I learn in my everyday life.
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Ruth holds a PhD for research into simplicity and consumerism. She develops the theological thinking behind A Rocha UK’s work, and co-ordinates our small team of speakers. Ruth is married to Greg and they live in Chichester with their two daughters. You can follow Ruth’s blog at ruthvalerio.net.
A week or two on Bardsey may teach me some important things, but the challenge is how I live out what I learn in my everyday life.
Some would say that Debbie’s transformation and impact aren’t the stuff of ‘planet-saving’ but at A Rocha we think they most certainly are.
It will not be technology, but a fundamental change in our deepest desires that will be how we can help the earth’s species and habitats survive the devastating assault to which we are subjecting them. But we need to think carefully if we hope that we can simply learn to ‘love nature’. What might that actually mean – what is love, actually?
The Jungle Book: What a fabulous world it would be if we could feel safe with a pack of Wolves, sing with Sloth Bears, ride on a Leopard and talk to Asian Elephants. But the sad reality is that most of us face a dilemma which is the opposite of Mowgli’s. In the UK, where I live, most of us feel safest in our villages, towns or cities and react with fear or even aggression when nature threatens our security, our income, or our convenience in some way.
‘Of making many books there is no end’, wrote the philosopher, ‘and much study wearies the body’. So yet another new book on creation care may tempt you to click to another page. So, why is this book different?
In my happiness, I tweeted and posted up the picture at the top of this article, with a note saying thank you to Mother Earth for my birthday present. I was then slightly bemused when someone gently reprimanded me for what I said, asking if I wasn’t maybe overbalancing into paganism, and why didn’t I thank Father God instead?
Which is better, using a dishwasher or washing dishes by hand? I realize this is a rich-world dilemma, but as it comes up in discussion so often and raises some interesting issues, I thought it worth reflecting on.
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