Who Am I?

When I was younger I saw the world in black in white. Life seemed simple and straightforward. I knew who I was and what I wanted. Over the last decade my view of the world and life has shifted. Life’s adventures: studying, marrying, being open to new life, birthing three young children, moving… and all those other experiences that come our way, have given me new lenses through which I view the world, myself and God. I suppose this is just part of getting older and wiser (grin). At least I hope I’m getting wiser because I have a few white hairs to show for it.

As I embark on life’s adventures I have been learning so many new things. Some of these things are practical (making good meals), fun (knitting and sewing), spiritual (learning to love and trust God) and out of the ordinary (raising meat rabbits). What I have noticed is that there is a common thread that weaves many of my interests together and that is the fact that we are living in a time of environmental difficulty.

My father always pestered me for leaving the lights on; he would even shut off the hot water tank if my showers took too long. I was often reminded that natural resources would not last forever. Now it’s my turn to think about future generations and their relationship with the planet. I wonder what their life be like if we continue on our ruthless path of consumption and destruction. As I reflect on the realities that we face I have come to the conclusion that caring for the environment goes beyond “being green”. At heart it is a moral issue. This has be an invitation for me to journey down the path of environmental responsibility. As I take small steps along this path I see plenty of struggles ahead.

Lilac bush buds in January.

Many people would not put the words Catholic and Environmentalist together, as if they were an oxymoron. Sadly, I have encountered this attitude in my own church. The truth couldn’t be further. I believe that Catholics should be at the forefront of environmental advocacy. The Catholic church is very clear about our responsibility to live out a deep respect for human life and this respect for life naturally extends to all of creation. Humanity cannot trump nature, and nature cannot trump humanity. Both must coexist harmoniously.

As I explore what it means to be wife, mother, practising Catholic and environmentalist I know that I will continue to change. I use this space to share my journey in life and the discoveries that I make along the way.