I am writing this from Topanga, where the mountain meets the sea in the Tongva language, a canyon village in Southern California. What inspired this essay was the raging wildfire in New Mexico this spring, caused by historic, weather conditions. The official fire season hadn’t started yet, but there had been several vegetation flare-ups where I live, so here we are. La Vieja, the protagonist of my latest novel,
La Vieja In These Times
I, too, am an old woman, passionate and torn as you are. Cut off from other human contact
by lung conditions, susceptible to Death by Covid, I can only communicate with other humans
by phone or computer.
In my garden it is different. I respect and thank all living there, and they all thrive. we
converse. I care for them. I envision a better future for them.
I write letters begging for mercy for the earth. The churches, the spiritual traditions, and
they are everywhere, easily recognizeable or not, MUST recall, study, reframe the
teachings, and get them out there. Maybe we need to admit to the existence of evil.
Now there's a war worth fighting.
Gratitude to you and yours, Deena; I and many others depend upon your efforts and
leadership.
Karen