Editorial from RavenHawk 6/23/00

Why does it seem that it is human nature to loose interest in something if we are not
constantly reminded of it, in constant touch with it or have someone to stir us up about it?
Organizations  have  their  rallies, churches have their revivals and politicians have their
campaigns, all designed to stir people's enthusiasm and to revive or create interest. But
why do we loose this enthusiasm? Why does it dwindle? Even if its a matter of dear
importance to us, it seems to fade if we don't have some sort of vehicle to drum it up for
us and keep us motivated.

Is this why a fad or craze comes and then goes? Are we constantly looking for
something new to entertain or enlighten us and then grow tired of it?
A quick fix?

I have heard it said that people are tired of hearing of all the problems in the world,
tired of saving the earth, tired of this and tired of that; Maybe some were never too
interested in any of it in the first place or thought of it as the thing to do" at the time.
We  live  in  a  society  where everything comes fast, where most things are almost
instant. Hungry? Go out for fast food, go to the store, pop it in a microwave. Need
money? Get a loan. You don't have to save for it. Are you sick? Go visit the Doc and get
some pills to fix it up. Heal the Earth, ourselves and All our Relations? Well, you could
become an environmental activist, or recycle. How about Native Ways? That seems to be
a panacea for what ails the world... Er... How long could this take? We've worked so
hard... For so long and there seems to be very little progress... And it's still not done? Boy,
I'm getting tired of this... Are you now? Did patience go out of style? I must have missed
that one.

 Are  the  Earth  Changes  not happening as fast as you thought they would? Are they
not as severe as you thought they would be? Or are they gradually increasing in intensity
so that you really don't notice them so much and they don't seem so bad? Being as they
don't seem as bad as the Elders said they would be, maybe we don't need to be in such a
hurry or don't need to work so hard. It could be years... Oh... So, you've heard it all
before.

This isn't the way everyone thinks or feels. But I have heard all these things and some
of it from people who I would never have believed would have said them. Is this what
were all about? Are we going to grow lax and be caught unprepared when we re really
needed, when things do get to really happening,  when  we  absolutely, positively can't
ignore them any longer. People, let's not get caught off guard. If we're not careful, it's all
going to fall around our ears. It's all happening right now, right under our noses, and
scientists are not going to someday develop a cure for it all. I realize that most of the
things that are happening now-and in fact seem common place to us.

So, what's so unusual about a volcano, an earthquake, land fills, toxic spills,
deforestation and incurable diseases and the like? Happens all the time. Right? They've all
been around ever since I have. Isn't that just the way it is? A lot of people seem to think so
and that we can just go merrily on our way just as we have for years.
Sure, most of us are used to it. That's the way its been since we have been around if
you're not too old. And if you're older, then you know it's not always been so.
But... Talk to an Elder person. More than likely, that person can remember a time
when... most people didn't know what the ozone layer was, weather was more normal,
earthquakes were few, world or environmental destruction wasn't even a thought, AIDS
was unknown, cancer was rare, so was heart attacks, poison was strychnine or DDT, toxic
waste was relatively unknown, there were no nuclear weapons or acid rain,  land fills were
only for big cities... And that person ‘s   Grand  Parents   could remember when... Get  my
drift?  Most  of  this commonplace garbage is not commonplace. There shouldn't even be a
place for it. So now that I've reminded everyone of it. Don't forget it. It won't go away by
itself.

There have always been people who have had the habit of putting dates on prophesy.
Mistake? Maybe. Probably. But when something doesn't happen... it doesn't happen when
or like people thought it would, many become lax and loose their drive for immediate
action and perhaps even begin to doubt that it will ever really happen.

Why do we loose interest and become complacent when we no longer have a
charismatic teacher or leader to stir us up? Boy, those dudes can keep us going for awhile!
But what happens when they drop out of sight? What could he/she do that you or I can't
do? Nothing! You can do it too. Everyone can't always be a leader, but if you're always a
follower, someone is sure to lead you astray.

Many of the things  that  are happening on Earth right now have been simply caused by
mankind's greed, carelessness, selfishness and unthinking quest for domination. But there
are also other forces in motion whose actions are beyond our control. We have come to
the point where there will be things happen whether we re ready for them or not.
The work that is ours must be done now - not later. Will we live to see the results of
our labor? That would be really nice, but does it really make a difference... Will the
generations to come, look back and thank us for creating a better world for them or will
they look back and wish we had? We are the ones on the precipice. What we do will make
a difference one way or another - good or bad. And assuming the buck won't work! No
one else can do it for you. Any positive help or healing we can give to the Earth, others or
ourselves will go a long way. The least you can do is much better than doing nothing at
all. So throw "the what difference can one person make?" bit out the window. That has
never held water anyway.

 Have I got your interest now? Maybe your attention, anyway. For our own sakes, we
had better keep it up.

Any positive work we do will lessen the severity of many of the serious matters and
changes we have on our hands today. So... where to begin? All we have to do is to look
around us. There is so much that it won't be hard to find somewhere to start. Hey... I
know! How about we all begin with ourselves, that way we won't have to worry so much
about what someone else is doing.

(c) 2000
RavenHawk

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