It’s past midnight and I still haven’t finished my opening paragraph.
I’m trying to put into words this intense sense of urgency, but all that comes out is ARRGGGGHHH! Not very eloquent. And my neighbour is banging on the ceiling. Whoops. I didn’t wake him did I?
My soul has blisters. She is pacing back and forth, constantly vacillating between the lesser of endless evils: this soap, that soap, this cleanser, that cleanser, these clothes, those clothes, this car, this paint, shampoo, make-up, toilet, shower, car…, even food or no food! We have so much choice and at the same time, so little. It drives me crazy! The pressure in these blisters are at the point of bursting unless I do something. Anything.
And do it now!
But what? How can one person (me) reverse the damage we have done to our water, our soil, our air, our fellow creatures, and ourselves?
Great leaders have pushed humanity’s collective consciousness higher. Think of the impact of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, or Mother Theresa. But the challenges we face today feel bigger than all of them combined.
Let me not sugar coat this, unless we can do something to change directions, we’re burned toast!
Yet I refuse to be a victim. This is not who I am. And this is not who you are either. And this is certainly NOT what a Woman Not Waiting is all about.
No. This where the heels hit the pavement.
Well, this is where MY heels hit the pavement — knowing, believing, hoping there are many other heels out there also looking to tear up some dirty roads. And we women know a thing or two about dirt!
So let’s start.
Today. Right now, I am putting myself out here in the hope that YOU too are the owner of one such pair of heels– and a couple of spares to change into– we might need them.
This Woman Not Waiting will sculpt posts that will be our starting blocks, propelling us toward a finish line where we ACTIVELY cherish and protect our home, Earth, and all her inhabitants.
Here’s what I’m going to do:
- I will connect the dots — go ahead, throw some at me
- I will forge a path — a polka-dot one
- I will challenge the status quo — because it’s not working for me and probably not for you either
- I will inspire and empower — your stories and your insights will be the slip stream that grows as we move forward
- I will stir things up — as we make a kick-butt organic, non-GMO ratatouille
- I will seek truth — and cut through the double-talk
- I will celebrate your achievements — because only together can we make this happen
And I will pass out now. Ok maybe not yet.
I am scared. Scared of what? Scared that nobody will listen and nobody will care. But not nearly as scared as looking back at my life and saying… I should have.
So let’s put on our sexiest pair of shoes, strut forward, and kick up some dirt.
Are you with me?
I’d love to hear one thing you’ve done that took a lot of courage– or that’s making a difference, big or small. It will inspire me.
I can’t wait to hear from you.
I care too about our planet and the challenges that our children have in this future world.
I am in the footwear industry. Who’s shoes are you wearing? How are they made? And with
what materials are they produced? Perhaps fashion trends and your tight budget limit your choice. We all have a choice. Let’s move forward together!
Totally agree with you. We weren’t always a throw away society. Some of us are still “seasoned” enough to remember that a pair of shoes survived more than one season. The shoe industry needs you…Bata beware (chosen solely for the alliteration, not a slight on the company intended). Alecia has revolution in her blood…a shoe revolution. LOVE IT!
this is another woman no waiting- leaping up and heels a clicking-tap,tap,tap- “there’s no place like home, there’s no lace like home” i know we’ll get back there!!!!!!
Yes we will. Tap, tap, tap all the way home. 🙂
Deeeep breath…time to wake-up – thank-you Karen!!!
You go Compassionate Samurai! Be that graceful warrior 🙂
Yes, I’m with you Karen! A man not waiting. I am very appreciative of all the work you’ve done and continue to do for the most noblest of causes. Save our planet from destruction by greedy corporate interests for future generations. You are truly a visionary. Please keep up the good fight.
Glad to have you on board, David. Waiting is so last century. 🙂
Hey Karen,
Way to go! My company Green Galaxy Companies has been doing what we can to clean up and inspire others to green up our industry. We aren’t perfect and maybe we never will be but we strive to be better every day.
Now if you have some info that can help us all fight the fight, I’m excited to hear it.
Cheers girl!
I think that’s a topic that deserves a post. Let me work on it and post a shout out along with it. Together we have all the answers so let’s share away.
I am from Kenya, a country designated as third world developing country – which means the people over there are supposed to disrupt their self-sufficient, self-reliant ways into a market economy that is dependent for western hand outs!! Shame!!
But my point is this, being from there, as most Kenyans will tell you, we are very conservation minded people even though I have lived most of my life in the west (over 33 years – wow time flies) sustainability remains a top priority.
Just as you Karen, the past three years have been scary as I have shifted my focus away from how the old industrial age education system relies on competition and self-maximizing constructs to forge ahead to a highly sustainable way of living. I have spent the past three years on researching how to incorporate sustainability into personal develop seminars, which is what I teach. So I understand your journey and where you are coming from. Courage, Karen!!
In the process I got rid of my luxury car, became a vegan, live in extended family, stopped buying stuff, etc. We must walk our talk, eh!! That’s it in a nutshell. I want to keep my sharing brief here.
Here is to your awesome stand for sustainability and green living and conservation!! All the best, wishing you fearless action. Rise to your greatness!!
You are certainly walk the talk. Great to hear. I also have made choices, such as selling my car, and am mostly vegan (I still stray from time to time). What I aim to do is to see what impact I can have and what solutions we all can come up with which will integrate with our lives as best we can. The surest way is of course to just complete overhaul our western life style, but that is a tall order for a society that is addicted to fossil fuel. And as you point out, the developing world sees what the west has and wants it too. What a mess. But I’m prepared to take a bite of that and help make sense of it all. So the journey begins…
Wow Karen! You are an inspiring writer. This sentence says so much- “Well, this is where MY heels hit the pavement — knowing, believing, hoping there are many other heels out there also looking to tear up some dirty roads. ” Karen, thanks for taking a stand for the earth, the water, the plants, and all the creatures, including us and countless generations beyond us.
And your words inspire me to continue along that dirty road. Thanks for the encouragement.
Karen, your initiative suggests that we are at the penultimate moment of the great awakening of humanity… arising to the fact that the world we have co-created does not serve us, where pushing past old habits of thought and action into new and more empowering ones is one of the main reasons we are here together at this time in history. I commend you for being an active participant in this awakening. Keep sounding the alarm clear and strong!
Very well said, Richard and thank you. It is a pivotal time we live in and I my purpose is to do all I can to pivot in the direct that will create a sustainable future for all us earthlings.