Happy Earth Day, Foreign Bodies. I woke up thinking about a book my therapist recommended after my official depression diagnosis a few years ago. The book, The Overstory by Richard Powers, helped clear up some heavy clouds that had been following me around for months as hateful rhetoric and unjust immigration policies grew suffocating. As someone with little to no attachment to the country I was born in and no overwhelming pride or sense of belonging in the country I call home now, I’ve always felt like a floating soap bubble wandering around, one nick away from disappearing.
I know it may sound fanciful and peculiar, but this book helped me fall deliriously in love with the Earth and completely altered how I perceived my place in the world: fluid in geography, but always grounded, always rooted, always evolving and always worth protecting. It took a diagnosis and a story about trees for me to finally understand and appreciate and fight for this planet. I often feel guilty for not embracing the fight decades ago.
I’m curious. What does the planet mean to you? Is there a certain place that comes to mind when you think of protecting home? Do you feel indebted to do more? Are you struggling to feel connected to the Earth? Tell me.
oh :( thank you. You are making me think. I come from family of fishing village and when I think of these questions I think of the sea and nutrition for my childhood. The sea gave us so much.
The planet simply means my home. I think of parks that I've lived near: the forest in my neighborhood that I used to explore as a kid, the trail along the San Francisco Bay where I would go on long runs, the beach that I would jog to. I don't feel that I struggle to feel connected to the Earth, but often I feel like no matter what we do on an individual, it's not enough to protect the Earth and ourselves from climate change. We'd have to change how our businesses, factories, government, and transportation systems operate at a large-scale in order to make a big impact.
I feel that way, too. How do you cope with that sense of “nothing I do makes a difference”? Do you feel a need or have a calling to be an activist? Sometimes I think we’re all supposed to be, but I know control (lack of it, relinquishing it) has always been a touchy issue for me and my mental health. Hard to find healthy boundaries.
I'm not sure if I feel a calling to be an activist, but I try to spread awareness about these issues to people I know the best I can. I definitely agree that it can be hard to find healthy boundaries.
you know i love the way u wrote this because when ur depressed it really does make u amplify ur pain internally and it is hard to grasp the bigger problems in the world. My mom used to call me selfish for having a hard time overcoming personal problems. There were other things to worry about,, but I could not "see" until I helped myself get through the day to day problems.
I am in a same boat as u now. I get emotional about climate politics and the planet a lot and feel guilty a lot about it because I feel like it is part of me.
ah julie, yes. I so relate to this. "Selfish" is so difficult to shake off. It's funny you mention it because I did a story a couple of years ago on the kinds of words individuals with depression often use—words like "I" and "me." Everything feels personal.
oh :( thank you. You are making me think. I come from family of fishing village and when I think of these questions I think of the sea and nutrition for my childhood. The sea gave us so much.
Wow, I'm so glad you shared, Adriana.
The planet simply means my home. I think of parks that I've lived near: the forest in my neighborhood that I used to explore as a kid, the trail along the San Francisco Bay where I would go on long runs, the beach that I would jog to. I don't feel that I struggle to feel connected to the Earth, but often I feel like no matter what we do on an individual, it's not enough to protect the Earth and ourselves from climate change. We'd have to change how our businesses, factories, government, and transportation systems operate at a large-scale in order to make a big impact.
I feel that way, too. How do you cope with that sense of “nothing I do makes a difference”? Do you feel a need or have a calling to be an activist? Sometimes I think we’re all supposed to be, but I know control (lack of it, relinquishing it) has always been a touchy issue for me and my mental health. Hard to find healthy boundaries.
Thanks for sharing ♥️ that forest sounds lovely.
I'm not sure if I feel a calling to be an activist, but I try to spread awareness about these issues to people I know the best I can. I definitely agree that it can be hard to find healthy boundaries.
you know i love the way u wrote this because when ur depressed it really does make u amplify ur pain internally and it is hard to grasp the bigger problems in the world. My mom used to call me selfish for having a hard time overcoming personal problems. There were other things to worry about,, but I could not "see" until I helped myself get through the day to day problems.
I am in a same boat as u now. I get emotional about climate politics and the planet a lot and feel guilty a lot about it because I feel like it is part of me.
ah julie, yes. I so relate to this. "Selfish" is so difficult to shake off. It's funny you mention it because I did a story a couple of years ago on the kinds of words individuals with depression often use—words like "I" and "me." Everything feels personal.