Ever since I was quite young and learned about the deteriorating state of our world, I wondered why the adults weren’t coming together to figure out what to do about it. Of course, I understood that the answers would not be simple, but still, what could be more important than trying?
As I grew older, however, I saw many kind people coming together in communities, but they all seemed to be pulling in slightly different directions. There always appeared to be something more important than togetherness and I didn’t know how to choose one over another.
I accepted that “the great coming together” was just not going to happen.
But then, a couple of years ago, I listened to a talk given by a small group called XR-BCAN (Extinction Rebellion Being the Change Affinity Network) telling me it was indeed possible! They spoke of Ubuntu, the indigenous law of South Africa, which values and protects life, as compared to British and International laws which prioritise the protection of property.
They pointed us towards the Indigenous Peoples who understand how to live in harmony with the Earth and are willing to show us a way forward.
They said that our human spirit is not naturally bad and destructive, but we have learned a way of thinking and behaving which causes us to harm each other, our world, and ourselves.
It was amazing to listen to, but I could not make sense of it in the context of my own life. It felt like a dream. The workshop, however, gave me hope that a great coming together might be possible and that I could be part of it. It gave me a sense of direction and purpose. So, I read the suggested books and watched videos, but I struggled to find many other people who believed it was worth focusing energy on.
I realised I would have to listen to the XR-BCAN voices I hadn’t really heard the first time, those with African heritage. I watched the films they suggested and met with others who had done the same. Now the world felt like a different place, full of uncomfortable possibilities. I was seeing beauty and strength in those I hadn’t noticed before. I had finally found people willing to talk about making “the great coming together” a reality, but their skin did not look like mine and our life experiences were very different indeed.
There is so much to learn together, most of it is uncomfortable, but I was grateful to discover the Quakers at around the same time as XR-BCAN, and I have found F/friends to share the journey with.
Jo Cooper