Active Hope: Career deviations to open door to new challenges

So much of my identity is defined by my profession. Having been employed as a meteorologist for 34 years, it is difficult to not be defined and recognised as one. My job still provides great interest for me and motivation to do more and contribute to the greater good remains. Working full time does mean that other options are minimised and while I poke my nose into many other activities I find they are occasional. What would happen if I stepped away? Even for just a bit…

What potential awaits and what doors should I open?

The reality is the world is at a tipping point and urgent action is required to change our ways to help restore the planet and communities. I feel called to be more meaningfully involved in that transformation process.

Gratitude:

To have choices

To have a job I enjoy and can return to

To have time available to explore

To have people who support me and my activities

That there is still time, maybe just?

That there are so many people on this positive transformation process already and the science and pathways already exist

Acknowledging the pain of the world

There is so much pain going on. My focus goes to healing the land on which we live – so much stems from that – biodiversity, habitat for our wildlife, water quality, air quality and climate, restoring indigenous connections, demonstrating our connection with the wider non-anthropogenic universal community, and taking people especially the youth into the bush for their own healing and wellbeing.

The focus on healing extends naturally to pollution – microplastics, over consumption, animal welfare, and economic activity. Although I'm more connected with life on land I'm increasingly distressed by what we have done to the oceans and feel called to be part of the movement to restore health in that environment too.

mmm… that list is getting long.

Seeing with new eyes

In 2023 I have the opportunity to take long service leave (hopefully from 15 May through to end of September). This provides an opportunity to dive deep into other places of my life. Previously the focus would be on travel as in our 6-month adventure in 1999. This time some travel is certainly on the agenda, but most of the time I'll be at home. I do have goals to work on better health, to have more time for creative pursuits and time with family and friends. I have a sense of waiting for emergence and use this time leading up to sharpen the focus. For now I sense the urgency and call to connect with healing country – rewilding what has been broken.

Going forth

Noting the intention to allow the potential to emerge between now and then there are already doors opening. I'm on the learning journey to understand regeneration so am in an exploratory phase with Anne and friends. Bruce Ivers (Trees Australia) has taken a mission to use tree planting activities as a means to inspire young people about land regeneration and to create more habitat for our fauna. He is an inspiration, and comes with knowledge and capability.

We thought why not plant a million trees – that is 50000 for the next 20 years. Never enough but we need bold plans.

Then again why not focus on building wildlife corridors or creating more wildlife sanctuaries and joining in with other organisations already on that track: Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Bush Heritage etc.

Advocacy: using the One World Centre as a vehicle to connect to people, possibly half day open invitation (Wed/Thurs afternoon) to explore an issue using the approach of 1/3 input, 1/3 discussion, 1/3 action.

Lots of opportunities in the pipeline.

Photos: 1. Drone photo of our tree planting effort at Mt Mackie, just outside York.