“If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

~~ Dr. Lilla Watson ~~

After a battery of tests to rule out other illnesses, my very close friend was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). LIfe expectancy is generally 2-5 years for this disease that has no cure and unrelentingly robs a body of the ability to walk, talk, eat and breathe. Some people looked away from her, afraid to witness the inevitable decline that she would endure; I ran toward her to see if I could help.

For over a year, we figured out how to take care of her daily needs, at every level of decline finding new ways to adapt that would offer a bit of comfort. In the process, we continued to grow our friendship of deep conversation, a shared love of family and great belly laughs. We couldn’t know how long she would have, but I didn’t want to miss one single minute of her aliveness. I was receiving at least in equal measure to what I was giving by having the privilege of being with her to the end of her days.

I companioned my friend according to her needs and learned to wail when she died.

Looking back, I see similarities between my friend’s journey with terminal illness and the state of our Earth whose life support systems are rapidly declining. The Earth has been given a shocking diagnosis on all fronts and bravely continues to adapt to the best of her abilities. She still shares with us an abundance of natural beauty; but at every level of decline she struggles more to find new ways to adapt that can offer a bit of comfort.

Companioning a dear friend through living-dying days takes courage, deep love and commitment.

I will not look away. I don’t want to miss a single minute of Earth’s aliveness and, though we cannot know what the future holds, I’ve harvested my personal experience to be as good a companion as I can be.

I also see that the liberation of Earth is bound up with my own liberation in countless ways. It’s up to me to be a conduit for seeing the living Earth as a communion of subjects in a universe filled with 14 billion years of wondrous evolution. My success lies not in achieving the goal of everyone recognizing this worldview; my success lies in walking the path to get there and finding kindred spirits who walk with me.