Environmental Life Just Keeps on Giving

I pay my respects to the sun every morning by leaping out of bed and capturing my first sight.

Happy day beloved Joy Train Rider! I trust you feel optimistic and powerful as I do. We are creating the world together with our actions and inactions. It’s so wonderful and liberating when you embrace that role as my husband Frank and I did in 1995, and you should do today if you haven’t done so yet.

I say “you should” advisedly, because I know what’s expected in terms of climate disaster in the next few years, though you may not. As I told the leadership of The City of Stonecrest where I spoke on Earth Day, please read the IPCC Report 2023. It’s a technical document so I recommend the digestible version from a trusted news source.

Yesterday a Joy Rider commented that he’s eager to hear about the orgy of love I mentioned in a brief update. So how about we zoom through the weekend and I’ll give you a bird’s eye view:

• Cuddling with my daughter on the couch at their home while her husband makes us dinner - priceless.

• Arriving at Privi in the City of Stonecrest to deliver the Earth Day message and finding dozens of our relatives and close friends in the environmental community there. They’re reconnecting after many years and the love and excitement in the room is palpable. My grandson who I haven’t seen since just before the pandemic is here, and now he’s a husband!

• The young Mayor joins us straight from the airport coming from The African American Mayors Association Conference in Washington, DC, and four commissioners stay engrossed the whole time. They plan to make their young city a model of conservation for green assets that support a high quality of life.

• Driving through the exquisite Arabia Mountain Preserve area to an elegant dinner hosted by the Arabia Alliance for about 25 of our closest friends. Facing the building is a vast unspoiled area with a striking old barn where a newlywed couple are having their wedding pictures taken. One of the leaders in our group helped save the land which had been slated for development into 500 homes. Listen to her inspiring story.

• I know you’ll enjoy this gourmet dining experience as the young caterers stimulate our palates and our imagination, describing how they source and prepare the delicious, wholesome food.

• Two environmental leaders in Atlanta and Seattle who’re like sons to us come to our daughter’s early Sunday morning to interview me about the history of the organization that brought all of us together. “Keeping It Wild” was founded by Frank and others shortly after he became the South East Regional Director of The Wilderness Society in Atlanta early 2003. The organization is going strong with young dynamic leadership who have access to the wisdom of the elders -and value us..

• The most heart opening thing for me was this post from a young woman who’s like a daughter to us:

“Didn’t think to take more pictures. The conversations were that engrossing!! Seeing Audrey Peterman in the real life made my whole year. Many of us came together yesterday evening to celebrate the legacy (20 years!!), impact and continued work of Keeping it Wild. Audrey and Frank Peterman (my forever hero and mentor) set the tone and shaped the conversation around accessibility and equity when it came to our natural resources here in Georgia. People often ask where I went to school, and I have no response other than to say the school of KIW! It was great to meet new friends who are shepherding KIW into the present era James King, Jr Shantaé M. Robinson Revonda Cosby and so many more. And also hug dear friends like Audrey, Evonne Blythers Lapsey Susan Kidd and Amy Andrews.”

Mayor Cobbles (far right) is excited about this green potential for her city.

Does that feel like an orgy of love to you? Because it does to me. As we get back to the station beloved Rider I hope you’re inspired by the whirlwind and the feeling. I cannot overstate the joy that comes from knowing I’m doing all I can to wake people up to the plight of our environment so that all are part of the solution. Bless you!

(I made this ride free to everyone as a gift post-Earth Day. Please take a paid ticket/subscription if you haven’t yet and support my efforts to bring more joy and environmental responsibility into the world)