I loved everything about this essay. Very moving. Joanna Macy is a national treasure. And that Lockerbie story - I remember when it happened, but never knew how the residents responded. Marvelous.
Thank you, Julie! This was my favorite Hopecology post to write. There was some kind of magical alchemy with the land and people in Scotland. I'm so glad it turned into something to share.
I loved reading your very astute observations of my home country. A lot of visitors miss what goes on in Scotland but you captured a Scotland I know. I would add that a lot of the blood on those battlefields was because people had to defend that land and culture which gave their lives meaning. I don't know if you visited some of the abandoned villages on Mull - that is also a story which helps piece together our history and ties to the land. I have written a piece about it somewhere which I can dig out if you are interested.
Thank you so much for this comment. Hearing from a native daughter that I managed to capture something that rings true is a real honor. I would absolutely love to read your piece if you locate it!
You are very welcome Andrea. I wouldn’t say it unless I believed it - I cringe at so much writing about Scotland unfortunately. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and what is going under the surface of the country. Here is the piece I mentioned - from a trip back to Mull last summer (my aunt lives there and my grannie lived on Tiree) : https://notesfromcatriona.substack.com/p/a-journey-from-dubai-to-tobermory
What a stunning essay. You are a gorgeous writer and I look forward to learning more about your work. Re: taking the time to get to know the real Scotland, if I could make a career out of it, I would! 😊 Your essay made me long to return. Thank you.
“The people and the land are as interwoven as Harris Tweed.”
YES! Your loving descriptions of the people living on Mull and Skye are spot on. Thank you for letting me dwell once again in those majestic peopled landscapes.
The paper To the Future: An Ecology of Love, Hope, and Action should be titled, The Once and Future Ecology of Love, Hope, and Action.
The troubles began when we moved away from love, hope, and action for ecosystems.
Science is an ongoing process of observing, questioning, recording, and communicating.
Science is love. It’s understanding and paying deep attention.
Hope is to find a pathway forward, sighting a light in the darkness to strive for.
“Hope is a survival trait, and without it, we perish,” says Jane Goodall.
Action is the most challenging part. Acting without understanding the terrain and finding a way forward is futile.
We have upset the balance of nature and changed the climate. We can restore biodiversity and climate by returning our attention to the peopled-places we love and hopefully figuring out how to act for the betterment of ecosystems and the water cycle.
Thanks, Rob, and I appreciate your corroboration of my experiences on Mull and Skye. The reframe of science as love is an important one. As your right whales post points to, it's not enough to have the data. It's what we do with the data that really matters.
I loved everything about this essay. Very moving. Joanna Macy is a national treasure. And that Lockerbie story - I remember when it happened, but never knew how the residents responded. Marvelous.
Thank you, Julie! This was my favorite Hopecology post to write. There was some kind of magical alchemy with the land and people in Scotland. I'm so glad it turned into something to share.
I loved reading your very astute observations of my home country. A lot of visitors miss what goes on in Scotland but you captured a Scotland I know. I would add that a lot of the blood on those battlefields was because people had to defend that land and culture which gave their lives meaning. I don't know if you visited some of the abandoned villages on Mull - that is also a story which helps piece together our history and ties to the land. I have written a piece about it somewhere which I can dig out if you are interested.
Thank you so much for this comment. Hearing from a native daughter that I managed to capture something that rings true is a real honor. I would absolutely love to read your piece if you locate it!
You are very welcome Andrea. I wouldn’t say it unless I believed it - I cringe at so much writing about Scotland unfortunately. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and what is going under the surface of the country. Here is the piece I mentioned - from a trip back to Mull last summer (my aunt lives there and my grannie lived on Tiree) : https://notesfromcatriona.substack.com/p/a-journey-from-dubai-to-tobermory
What a stunning essay. You are a gorgeous writer and I look forward to learning more about your work. Re: taking the time to get to know the real Scotland, if I could make a career out of it, I would! 😊 Your essay made me long to return. Thank you.
Thank you so much Andrea - so happy to know you enjoyed the piece and hope Scotland gets to welcome you back again soon.
I love the highland cows!
Me too, so much! :)
“The people and the land are as interwoven as Harris Tweed.”
YES! Your loving descriptions of the people living on Mull and Skye are spot on. Thank you for letting me dwell once again in those majestic peopled landscapes.
The paper To the Future: An Ecology of Love, Hope, and Action should be titled, The Once and Future Ecology of Love, Hope, and Action.
The troubles began when we moved away from love, hope, and action for ecosystems.
Science is an ongoing process of observing, questioning, recording, and communicating.
Science is love. It’s understanding and paying deep attention.
Hope is to find a pathway forward, sighting a light in the darkness to strive for.
“Hope is a survival trait, and without it, we perish,” says Jane Goodall.
Action is the most challenging part. Acting without understanding the terrain and finding a way forward is futile.
We have upset the balance of nature and changed the climate. We can restore biodiversity and climate by returning our attention to the peopled-places we love and hopefully figuring out how to act for the betterment of ecosystems and the water cycle.
For example, Hope for Right Whales
https://robmoir469011.substack.com/p/hope-for-right-whales
Thanks, Rob, and I appreciate your corroboration of my experiences on Mull and Skye. The reframe of science as love is an important one. As your right whales post points to, it's not enough to have the data. It's what we do with the data that really matters.
Thank you, Kirie! I always appreciate your reflections.