Dear Earth, let’s talk about politics.

What do politics have do with you, darling Earth? The false promises, the stinking lies, the manipulation, the undignified jockeying for power. Why invest my time and energy into all that when I could be planting trees?

Politics are “the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power.” Here’s the rub. These people are the ones who can save you, dear Earth, or continue hurrying you towards despoilation and chaos.

I must confess that I’ve never had an appetite for politics. Parts of me find it unsafe to be around such intricate spinning, and I dealt with that by washing my hands of the lot of them.

Two things have changed. The first is that, as I’ve got older, I’ve met the parts of me that intricately spin, and the parts of me that grab at power, and I feel less like a different species to those I see on the screens. I also know more about how it is to move in that arena – how the rules are different, and how difficult it is not to be changed into a worse version of yourself in order to survive. Many of us want our politicians to be reassuring, not human. We want to feel safe. They have their own reasons for stepping forward – a mix of altruistic and protective intentions – and they also carry a lot for us.

The second is that I have heard your distress, dear Earth. It’s not about my preference to opt out, it’s about my responsibility.

On Saturday, after twenty four hours of Buddhist chanting for you, I will walk the streets with my friends, our faces painted as skeletons, urging the people of our town to ask our local candidates about their approach to your crisis, beloved Earth. Others will attend the hustings. I will use my vote for you. With this piece of writing, I’m encouraging others to do the same.

Politics is a messy business, just like all the other things that happen on your lap, dear Earth. We can be a part of it. We can demand the truth. We can vote. We can become political in our own little spheres, and try to do what is best for our fellows. We can support our politicians. We can role-model dignity – not falling into putting the others down as a way of propping ourselves up. We can feel our disappointment, rage and grief in the face of human greed, hate and delusion.

We can remember our love for you, dear Earth, and let it guide us.

Love, Satya <3

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Gratitude for the hoto by Tania Malréchauffé on Unsplash