From the October 2020 Cornerstone Network Email

I can’t remember ever being this anxious for such a long period of time. Between the COVID-19 surge, the devastation caused by local wildfires and smoke events, and the fact that we are staring down the most important election in our lifetimes, there is much to be anxious about.

We know that we must drastically reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 2030 – and we are already behind. The recent storm that ravaged Iowa, the wildfires in the West, and the sheer number of hurricanes experienced this year remind us that we need to hold our communities together if we are to have any chance of hitting those greenhouse gas targets.

Successfully meeting the climate challenge requires that we have elected officials at all levels of government who understand that the climate crisis is real and are willing to act. That’s one of the reasons why this election is so important – up and down the ballot.

But there is also much to be hopeful about. Voters are turning out in record numbers across the US through early voting and absentee ballots. 

The national conversation about the legacy of racism in our society has not diminished in the months since the murder of George Floyd, but instead seems to be gaining much needed traction, even in unexpected circles. 

Climate change is a major part of the national political conversation – finally.

It seems that here in the US we are getting ready to face the consequences of our past decisions and get to work making the transformational change needed to align what we do with what we say we believe in. That is my hope as we enter the final week of this election season.

With so many people voting, we will know soon enough how the heart of America beats. In the meantime, let’s remember to care for ourselves and those around us.

It is autumn – a strikingly beautiful changing of the seasons and a wonderful time to spend some time outside. I will be taking walks in our local Lithia Park and watershed, and gently pestering friends and family to make sure they vote.

I hope you can enjoy the spectacular fall colors and manage your way through this challenging time in a way that brings you some measure of peace and joy.