What is planetary people mean anyway...

Hard to believe that half of the year has come before us, it has played out like the famous opening line from a Tale of Two Cities “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” 

 

It is easy to pin point the worst of times, bleeding headlines are daily realities for many, but all of us have been impacted on some level. No need to rehash as we are all so intimately, and sometimes painfully acquainted. 

 

The best of times…. It almost feels criminal to suggest such a possibility in the midst of societal, political, economic, cultural, pandemical and even ecumenical upheaval! I have never seen the world so battered and bruised, so grievously divided. 

YET in saying this I see the world starting to connect together small little web like strings, that are bonding, tightening on the grassroot levels, bring a great awareness, a great witness of the Lords love found in one another. While the threads are near transparent if you are not adapt to focusing your vision they will shine in the sunlight. 

 

Today I was sitting in another zoom meeting, while hearing to listen; the topic was on practical 

implications and action to be ‘planetary people’. Please don’t ask me to define what planetary people are as I have no idea, I would say it’s some fancy world for meaning connected or ecologically aware physically and spiritually. During the conversation I was rather struck how we think of taking care of the earth is to find solutions to our consumerism behaviour. While I am not dismissing these actions, like recycling, compost, one use plastic etc… has anyone stop to realised that all these small acts are actually just the other side of consumerism opposed to taking that next step to actually enter more deeply into a relationship with nature. 

 

I’m no expert here, however I am just struck by this mindset… Recently I had the opportunity to go Dingle, Kerry here in Ireland. One of the Sisters have family there, so we stay in a house for a week and did walks each day. Many years ago, I went to Kerry, while on another peninsular, it was a place that looks very much like New Zealand in so many ways. The contrast of the green tones, flowing hills with rocks here and there. The ocean hitting the sand folding over itself… there is just a sense upon opening your eyes without knowing for a moment you could mistake yourself being present in New Zealand not Kerry. 

 

While I was on this trip, one of my companions spent the whole week using one-word sentences to express her awe of what she was seeing. After a week I personally was a little over the running word list, yet I realised that she was from the city. While being in the country many times, spending time now and again during her lifespan, the truth is that she possibly has never really absorbed or being present to all the seasons that roll over changing the landscape. 

 

Coming from New Zealand, having so many opportunities especially when younger to climb the mountains, walk the valleys, race along the beaches, have family holidays camping or cabin staying in remote places. All these and many more experiences I was around nature all the time, even in the town there was nature every part of my day. It silently sweeps into my soul, wrapping the outer to the inner, around me, nourishing and lifting. I don’t need no words, as it’s not about expression rather it’s about emersion. I walked away from the week with a sadness that for some it is about an experience, the need to try to put words around it and capture. I mean, here I am in a country that spirituality is ecological centred yet at times it feels like this is forgotten and ecological awareness is a new thing opposed to the rich highly sorted after tradition that is like living water. 

 

Maybe it’s time if we are serious about being ‘planetary’ people, that we allow nature to speak to us, offer the invitation that if we are open, is given to us everyday, to join in relationship. Move beyond the words, beyond the ‘experience’ or feel good fact of responding to our consumerism behaviour. Rather enter into the relationship, a spiritual journey, a union …. Shift our language, use nature as a reflection, not a shadow. While I don’t know what ecological term ‘planetary’ means, I am sure that those using the term are missing some of the invitation that after all if we stopped would fall upon us….

VIDEO FROM DINGLE - KERRY -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIDxGjkbR3k