During a walk I encounter barbarians…
That may sound dramatic, but it is true. I’ll tell you the story: On a beautiful sunny day just before solstice (and before the big snowfall), I took a walk on our farm at the Yarrow Ecovillage in unceded Stó:lo territory.
I walked along the farm lane, past the Oak tree that my son planted 17 years ago on the edge of the plot of land that our family farmed.
I crossed the creek and took a path through the Permaculture Food Forest, part of a stream restoration project that turned a ditch into a vibrant, biodiverse ecosystem.
When I had gotten about 3/4 of the way on the path around the farm, along the eastern edge of our property, I came to the Kinder Morgan/Trans Mountain Pipeline project that has now advanced as far as our fence. The barbarians are at our gate.
Fossil capitalism’s days may be numbered, but the struggle is far from over folks. As I looked at that horrendous right of way for the new pipeline, I felt sick.
Taking A few deep breaths, and, turning away, my eyes took in the ponds of our constructed wetlands, and nearby, our outdoor school for children. I calmed down. I reflected on what Charles Eisenberg refers to as the “new story.”
I’m coming to the belief that we need to keep adding to the new story, until the old story of fossil capitalism no longer controls us, and the Planet can breathe again.
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