A New Type Of Activist

There has been a great deal of talking about saving this planet of ours in the last few years.

"The Planet & Its people need saving!" -  can be heard echoing everywhere in the world.

Hordes of "wannabes saviors" having been flooding the streets and social media hoping to get everybody's attention.

And yet, very often, they just manage to arouse anger & suspicion.

Very interestingly, this pandemic has quietened certain voices (thank God!!!) and brought to life others so far dormant.

I personally struggle with the need most people feel nowadays to remind us all of the bad state of the world.

And I would not call that being in denial.

Quite the contrary, in fact.

I have eyes, and I can clearly see what is happening around.

Still, I know that what I see and what I hear is only a small bit of a much larger picture.

And so, I often wonder how genuine this need to "save the world" really is after all.

Admittedly, I'm a recovered "love sharer" myself.

I remember growing up thinking that my mission in life was to bring the best out of people.

It was such a strong belief that at some point I actually started to sound like some sort of evangelist child prodigy.

The world needed to be reminded of its own love and I was here to ensure no one would forget that again.

Let's just say that my mission was short lived and no soul is ever going to remember being saved by a small Italian girl.

I simply realized one day that I'm never, ever going to heal the world let alone its people.

In fact I saw how the need to help, heal and save others very often diverts us from the beauty and messy perfection that they are.

Last year groups of activists created havoc not only here in London but everywhere else in the world, in the hope of putting an end to global warming.

There was not one day when I felt like joining forces.

Their angry and imposing approach to a very delicate issue never sounded like an invite I wanted to accept.

I hardly felt during those days that this was a genuine act of love towards not only our planet, but the human race.

They had turned the streets into a battle field, yet it was clear that not all the soldiers were barricade fighting.

Some of us were at home trying to keep the faith alive in everybody else, by being the best people we could be.

'Cause what's the point on trying to save our oceans, when we can't even be decent to the stranger on the train?

There are loads of everyday heroes who are actively and consciously supporting us all in a very quiet, and dignified way.

They are never going to be "social media influencers."

They are never going to make the headlines.

But, in this very moment, they are nurturing the soul of a world we all love, although in different ways.

They are the "faith keepers" for their families & communities.

The ones called to keep peace & grace alive within their own heart, when nothing and no one around makes sense.

You'll spot them in the queue in you local shop, on a busy train, at the bus stop: their eyes will have a different light.

They are the eyes of someone who remembers that it takes courage to be alive and we are all doing the best we can.

We really are, even when it seems it's all gone wrong.

If you have been wondering lately if you, too, should join the barricades and make the world a better place, remember that not all fighting requires the same sword.

Antonia Lyons

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