There is no doubt that Green will increasingly become good business.

It is a matter of survival.

Green is however an inter-connected ‘thing’.

It requires the airy-fairy ‘holistic’ approach, deep down at grassroots level.

It requires the nebulous idea of ‘synergy’ (although systems theory has been with us for almost half a century).

It requires quite a good few things that are often seen as airy-fairy.

Not even a handful of years ago the idea of vermiculture in one’s home (yes, recycling via earth worms) was the stuff that would have one labelled as eccentric – if not crazy.

Green technology is required, but in itself is only part of the solution.

Ultimately there is a need for a political and social climate that in itself promotes sustainability.

Ultimately it will require the soothing unifying force of Compassion, a collective compassion flowing from us all, regardless of the creed or no creed status of the individuals contributing.

The worst consequence of insufficient Compassion is War - which destroys sustainability in apocalyptic doses.

So how we engage with our fellow beings in our everyday lives is as important as the nation2nation discussions on say avoiding a nuclear war.

The stress feeding up from the bottom may yet prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

This poem by Mary Montalvo will hopefully make most of us think about how we deal with all the people that we encounter in our daily lives.

Some are broken, spent … not necessarily through any fault of their own.

Shredded

Shredded, that’s what i am . . .
Tired and bitter and angry it’s true
My innocence gone, my naivete too

Shredded, that’s what i am . . .
Anxious, and nervous, and stressed, yes it’s true
My life is such a mess, what can I do

They tell me to dust my boots off and pick myself up,
Ha, go thru what I have, then we can talk, we can sup

I used to be altruistic, dreamy, and full of the vagaries of life,
Now all I have are tears and pain, sorrow and strife

No one but God knows the torture I’ve experienced and seen
I’ve gone through a catharsis, yes, that’s what it’s been

Shredded - bereft, exhausted, and at times unhinged,
So now I’m an anarchist, a rebel, an iconoclast, yes i am, and singed

I didn’t used to be this way -- before
I was submissive, and gentle, and timid you see -- but what for?

Look how they’ve molded me into the dissenter i now am
Yet, my love for those that are good and kind
gives me hope -- so this I know in my mind

That if I don’t get justice in this world at this time
My Lord, my God, will see that I do in the next one, next time
And in this I will have my victory over hatred, and lies, deceit and the Devil,
and I will then lie back and laugh my head off, yes I will laugh out loud at evil,
and will, at last be shredded no more . . . no more.

Copyright © 2011 Mary L. Montalvo. All rights reserved