A few days ago a baby boy was born into our family. Isak, a gorgeous little fellow, happily unaware of the serious challenges our wonderful world is facing. Isak will grow up with a loving mother and father, closely connected to nature. He was probably conceived on a mountain top, inside or outside an orange tent – overlooking a fantastic landscape. Hopefully he will learn to respect nature the way his parents do – and we all should be doing.
Those of you who follow my blog are familiar with my fascination for animals and elephants in particular. We have a lot to learn from elephants. Elephants are capable of a range of emotions, including joy, playfulness, grief and mourning. In addition, elephants are able to learn new facts and behaviours, mimic sounds that they hear, self-medicate, play with a sense of humour, perform artistic activities, use tools and display compassion and self-awareness. What truly matters is what elephants mean to themselves and to their environment. These majestic, gentle giants are full of wisdom. The greek philosoper Aristotle, said of elephants: “The beast which passeth all others in wit and mind.” And still we are killing them.
“Elephant in the room” is a metaphor – for an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss. We often talk about nature or animals as if it is ‘us’ vs. ‘them’. The truth is – we are all in this together, we are equals. Humans and nature are part of the same system. Depending on each other. The more people accept this and pay attention, the better chances we’ll have to make it through the ongoing climate changes together.
At this moment in life – and given the state of the world, a little child’s birth gets me really emotional. By showing each other respect, we can appreciate the joy of real elephants and a healthy life for generations to come.
Thank you for following my thoughts.❤️