Histories repeating themselves...

The tsunami and earthquake in Japan this week, and the violence in Libya this past month. The first is no more "natural" than the second given the continuing fear over the nuclear reactors in Japan.   And both are similar in that history repeats itself in both places. But there is nothing farcical in the repetition, only tragedy.  Perhaps it is too much to ask for wisdom for and from humans.  The best we may get is grace. Though not enough, it seems more and more necessary.

Removing mountains tops...

in the Appalachians, polluting rivers, feeding our greed, starving bodies and souls in a myriad different ways.  Our atrocities surround us, drown us, bind us.  Oh yes, there is pleasure, goodness and grace in the world, and certainly in my life. But not enough, nowhere enough compared with our foolishness and our fear.  Little actions are necessary but selling degrees in social change and policy responses to climate change are grotesque gestures not least because of their inadequacy and hypocrisy.  So "What's the answer" is the inevitable and fearful, (yes fearful question though it appears as disdainful).  The contingent, necessary (though not sufficient( answer is to ask have the courage to ask different questions.  So it's another new year, and I will continue the struggle to ask those new questions even as I tell others to clarify theirs (see "Teaching in...") and to find others to ask them with.