Ok, I’ll admit it, I am a little worn down by the world. Obviously, Covid has made life harder, much more for some of us than others for sure, and we each have our own family/life/work challenges to face. But there is more to all this, and for me it’s the backdrop of the constant and relentless assault on truth, science, responsible environmental regulation and the very democratic principles on which this country was founded.
The drip, drip, drip of it all makes me want to turn away and tune out. It’s a natural feeling and settling into the groove of summer sure does feel appealing. But, and this is the rub, that is the desired outcome. A numb, tired and worn-down electorate enables the outrages to continue unchecked. While we have ample evidence that public outrage about proposals to open the coast to development or withdrawal from the Paris Accords or (fill in your greatest outrage here) does little to stop the gutting of real environmental protections, pushing back is essential. Paying attention, taking names and holding leaders accountable is essential. By staying engaged we retain our power, and only by tuning out do we surrender. I am not ready to surrender.
There is an old adage that says “sleep when your enemy sleeps.” These people never sleep so that’s hard, but it’s okay to take a day or weekend here or there to get out and remind ourselves why we love the Cape. The energy that comes from that refreshment of mind, body and soul will get us through the choppy waters ahead. We need you, the Cape needs you, because we need a change and it is up to each one of us to do our part.
