ROCK TO JADE

By Kayo Robertson

An ancient Chinese saying:

I threw a rock over a wall. It came back jade.

Translation:

One less qualified attempted something that was called for. That action brought forth someone more qualified. 

Rock. Jade. 

Understanding the Climate Crisis

Currently northern Utah and particularly Cache Valley has no literary voice for the land, waters, air shed and the interdependent tapestry of living fellow creatures, wildlife,  that share in the bounty of the land's nourishment and support. Many of the latter have lived upon this landscape much longer than the now 20,000 years of known local human habitation. The land we call home is precious jade. With luck this rough rock of a newsletter will call forth others willing and able, giving our home a voice.  Rock to jade.

CHANGE

We are living in a time of vast decline and diminishment. Many of us have yet to notice. It is unwise, and perhaps a bit ungrateful, to dwell upon what has been lost. If one is attentive it is also  difficult to not notice that we live in a time of epoch mass extinction and global geophysical chaos; a poisoning of land, water and sky. The stakes are high. It is a pivotal time.

Locally our once radiant airshed is often polluted and unhealthy to breathe. The waters we freely drank and swam in now poison the very fish and fowl that they attempt to sustain. The valley's rich topsoils have been laced with toxic chemicals, washed away, compacted and otherwise abused. Many of the wild creatures that not so long ago thrilled us with their abundance, beauty, companionship and wonder are gone. The Human world of supposed civil order is also in disarray. Brutality and incivility become more and more acceptable means of dealing with the problems that we face living together and sharing one planet.  It is all connected.

RENEWAL 

The only way I know to live well with this circumstance is to deeply consider the natural phenomenon of renewal. After destruction always comes renewal. The Phoenix doesn't rise from the verdant forest but from the ash. To wish for or facilitate destruction is an illness. Inasmuch as we, the Humans, are all complicit in the destruction of the planet's web of life, we all share a common illness.

As individuals and families we are sometimes able, usually through much determined, spirited effort, to consciously facilitate creative destruction. We leave behind that which is not beneficial and nourishing. We abandon and root out greed, dedicated hatreds, comfortable ignorance and violent habits. We replace them with intelligent caring, cultivated compassion, inclusion and love. We become kinder, more gentle and alert. Indeed, renewal is in our every moment and manifests its possibility in our every thought and action.

INVITATION

Cultures and nations find it more difficult to make the conscious changes shown by determined, persevering  individuals. So often culture, and the nations it spawns, are like Titanics, unable to change course as they roar full steam ahead towards an ocean of icebergs. But then cultures and nations are nothing more than a conglomerate of individuals. 

They too can change. If the captain lied and it is our destiny to go down with a rudderless ship, then what might we hold onto as we are thrown into the icy waters of fate? We can't hold onto much. What few hope-filled seeds might we stow away in our pockets? Seeds that might, in renewal, adorn, rather than devastate this true, blue dream of a planet? This is our home place, the only Eden that we might know. It is jade. It is my hope that a few seeds of such worth might be found within this publication.  

Please forward this newsletter to any who might make use of it. If you would like to share your voice (writings, poetry, artwork, music, announcements, videos) please consider this a possible vessel to do so.  Among other things this is our rough rock cast over the wall--a rolling rock, spreading lore, ideas, and suggestions for change and renewal.

Editor. Great Basin Homeboy. Woodsman. Farmer. Student. Teacher