As each New England season inevitably does, it’s give-back time as we move from winter into spring and mud season, and then, all too quickly, into the high heat of summer. As the seasons and the climate transition quarterly, so, too, do we. This time around, I am determined to observe the changes all the more carefully. And a few remarks here in this space will help me to remember!
We hear it, we feel it, sometimes we say it — we are blessed to live in our geographic location, affectionately known as “The Pioneer Valley,” with all that it offers us on so many levels. It’s easy to begin to take it all for granted — after all, there is a rhyme and rhythm to the circle of seasons, and we at least can hope that there is a degree of predictability that we can plan for and look forward to.
The world has awakened from quieter, darker, colder months. We’ve moved from wearing more clothing, perhaps less outdoor activity, shorter days, and deep and thorough chill to the joy of shedding layers, digging and replanting our gardens, perhaps getting bikes and other Big Toys ready, and even thinking about if, when, and where we may take a vacation. Let’s step back for a brief moment, take a few breaths, and recall that the Earth’s annual cycle allows us to make decisions to negotiate our lifestyles to a certain extent. Living in balance on our planet offers us this opportunity, and I see these transitions as gifts to be recognized.
The Earth gives without ever being asked; I believe gratitude is an appropriate way to reflect on these gifts and the bounty they enable. But, out there beyond that, are other things I consider in this relationship between humans and our world. For one: we ought to offer greater environmental protection and support than we do: the world is imperiled and in danger — nothing new there. A second and probably somewhat more controversial thought is that we should consider a cessation on all forms of development, with perhaps one exception: the building of new homes for those without. In other words, it’s high time for us to start giving back, meaningfully and plentifully.
Most temporal relationships are, indeed, relational, and that is generally healthy. And relationships often have transactional components — you scratch my back, so to speak, and I’ll scratch yours. Here is where we too often fall short: given our material world and especially our materialistic culture, it seems humans have an inclination to take more than we give back. And we most certainly have what it takes to give back — it is not solely about money and materials as much as it is willingness, intention, time, energy, and forethought.
To actively give back, we must think first. What a gift — to have the freedom, care, creativity, and curiosity, enough to want to be of help and service whilst we can! Giving back has the potential to show us at our best: being able to fluidly and fluently shift between the relational and the transactional. The transition into equanimity between giving and taking is one we strive to develop ease with as we age and develop wisdom, knowledge, and empathy. The interaction between humans and our natural world needs to be brought into clearer and better balance.
Trump’s utterance of “Drill, Baby, Drill!” is one of the many platitudes (I see it as an epithet) that clearly pulls us out of balance with nature — it is only about taking, with no other plan in mind… except to take some more. Think about your own history here for a moment: one-way relationships are easy to make, and nearly impossible to sustain unless both “parties” pre-arrange this, such as between therapist and client. At this time of year, ostensibly “Mud Season,” many of us are either in or preparing to enter our gardens to begin (or continue) the annual cycle of growth. But this interaction between humans and the Earth is much more interactive, much more mutual, where both yield and create to the other’s needs and possibilities.
Whenever and however we create ways of giving back, whether to other people or our natural world, we are winning on many levels. Not only is the act or action itself healing and good, but the feeling-tone of service or sacrifice is an emotionally charged winner as well. For me, this is the quintessential opposite of the Drill, Baby, Drill routine.
It must be shared here that “giving back” is not about a series of grand and extroverted gestures. It is in the “small givings” that we begin to create a positive attitude of generosity — perhaps what was recently referred to as “random acts of kindness.” Small can also mean powerful, strong, and poignant. If you don’t have a parcel of land to plant seeds or seedlings on, perhaps you have a family member or friend who does and volunteering to do so to help out is free and can last for many months if not longer. Perhaps you can start recycling and/or composting. Or helping to repurpose and upcycle stuff you no longer need — there is more than one charitable organization in Greenfield, and in other towns as well. Here’s a moment where we don’t have to think big!
Whether we prefer to operate relationally or transactionally, there is goodness and appreciation on the other side of the give/receive exchange. While we shouldn’t anticipate a Hallmark card or even a word of “thanks” for our gifts of giving back, we should know how deeply meaningful it is to conserve, recycle, plant, clean up, clean out, and caretake each other and our planet on a daily basis. Ways the world thanks us is with cleaner air, clearer water for multiple uses, and more green and other plants growing around us, and far more. Find a small way to be a world caregiver today!
Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., writes a regular column for the Recorder. He in an intercultural and developmental psychologist and his most recent book, “Creating the Intercultural Field: Legacies from the Pioneers,” was released in mid-January. He writes about issues focused on human and civil rights, human values, and his ongoing commitment to create a better world for us all. Reach out to him at danielcyalowitz@gmail.com.