The old adage of pictures being worth a thousand words may never have been more apt than yesterday's time lapse photography of the New York City skyline in the smoke. As the day went on, it was impossible even to see the skyline from Brooklyn, almost unheard of.
Yes, individual fires can and will be "fought", to save lives and properties. That is, right now, as it should be. But recently, I've heard more and more advertising and other references to fighting Mother Nature; if my heart weren't already so broken over so many things, this would be the last straw. This is not the moment to fight Mother Nature. This is not the moment to fight the people who are fighting Mother Nature. This is not the moment to fight climate change. Overall, this is not the moment to fight anyone, anything, any situation, and yet if you stand back, it seems like virtually our entire world is at war in some manner or another. I am convinced that the literal and metaphorical heat of all this anger, rage, and pushback is contributing to climate change, even though I suppose that would be a hard premise to prove.
If we are forced indoors, or forced to limit outside activities, or forced to postpone travel (sounds familiar from the pandemic, right?), maybe there is a reason it is happening again. Maybe it will give us time to consider the bigger picture, and the imperative to honor Nature.
