Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Going to the Gulf?

The invisible ocean has given you such abundance,
but still you call it "death",
that which provides you sustenance and work.  
from Rumi
I talked with a colleague yesterday who has been working down in the Gulf of Mexico with scientific sampling related to the oil gusher crisis. She said that people like me were needed down there and urged me to send my resume to her so that she could pass it along to the research coordinators. She said that the work was hellish due to the heat and the unfathomable difficulties of such an ecological disaster.

I think that it is something that I could help with, from editing and reviewing proposals to doing field work on water quality and benthic ecology. If my expertise is needed it would require month long hitches working in Louisiana. I haven't discussed this with my wife yet. And I will clearly need to do that before sending in my resume. I have a sense that it will be important to see with my own eyes what is going on. And as I have learned in Al-Anon, I strive to work to effect a solution instead of obsessing about the problem.

After being on a pristine beach and surrounded by unspoiled estuaries over the past few days, I am indeed grateful to have been in the most beautiful "temple" that I know.  But I am ever mindful that the situation could be very different. The shrimper towing his nets could instead be towing an oil boom. The pelicans riding the thermals could be flopping in a sea of oil unable to fly. The dolphins following the sailboat could be gasping for breath and dying.

It could all change in the blink of an eye. I am not taking anything for granted. These ecosystems and indeed life itself is ephemeral and fragile. Guard it well.

We ourselves have created the ecological conditions that are strangling us. Think of that: no one has done it to us--we humans have done it to ourselves. Ram Dass

19 comments:

  1. Eye-opening post, Syd. Being a non-news person for about a year, I really have no idea at the gargantuan
    level of destruction we are facing.

    Hopefully, if you can be "a part of" the huge process with which the world is dealing, you will see fit to do it.

    God be with you, Syd, whatever is decided....

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  2. Good luck Syd, they do so much help down in the Gulf.
    What a heavy burden the ocean bears.

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  3. it is all very fragile...when i saw the arguments against investigating it turned my stomach...if you decide to head that way the best to you and thank you for even thinking of it...

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  4. The quote by Ram Das, beautiful!

    I am sure that your gifts, skills and service would be much appreciated in the work in the Gulf

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  5. It's my sense that your services would be valuable, a part of the Solution.

    A helluva way to start your retirement, though.

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  6. what a wonderful oppurtunity, and a great service :)

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  7. It would be challenging work but I am sure you have much to offer. I like the thoughtfulness with which you approach projects and changes.

    And that fragility is so threatened right now.

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  8. I hope you go.

    And I will ask you because you would know: How can that much oil not end up where you are - and over a larger part of the world?

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  9. It would be interesting to hear from someone I know through your blog what your opinion is as you see it first hand.

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  10. When one door closes, another opens. I know it is a big decision. I look forward to being along for the journey..no matter where it leads you.

    ♥namaste♥

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  11. I agree with Ram Dass. And this might be an amazingly good thing for you to do although it would be hard work and heartbreaking, too.

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  12. I know if you go you will make a difference. I am like you I would rather work at the problem then obsess over it. Yes, we have created the problems, a heavy burden we have to take responsability for....sigh...

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  13. I'm sure you would be a big help to them, Syd.

    Love,

    SB

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  14. Wow,that's a big decision and that Ram Das quote is especially poignant in light of the photo you posted from last year's independence day aftermath...I love this prayer in times such as these..."please direct my thoughts and actions to the right and perfect outcome".

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  15. So many of us feel powerless about the oil spill. It is such a heartbreaking disaster and the fact that it was man's greed that caused it is even more disturbing. I urge you to go to help out by doing whatever you can.I envy you because all I can do is sit and watch the destruction of the resource that gave us life and the ignorance of the population that is rallying for the continuation of deep water drilling. Good luck with your recovery as well as the Gulf's.

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  16. It would be good for the rest of out here to know that at least one soul working on the problem was righteous.

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  17. I was born in Louisiana. I can't tolerate the heat there in the summers but love the beauty during the winter.

    This is horrifying.

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  18. If you go, take us with you. We could all learn so much more.

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  19. This sounds like very important service work. I have no doubt you would make an important contribution, and that they will want to have you. What an honor to have the opportunity to serve in that way. I'm sure there are also many lessons waiting for you. I hope you will share them with us via your blog.

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Let me know what you think. I like reading what you have to say.