Another piece of the puzzle…
March 21st, 2024
A surprise awaited me when I walked to my car to go to work this morning. My car was covered in a layer of yellow pollen. In itself, that might not be surprising — where I live there are A LOT of trees and shrubs and gardens and grass is everywhere. Pollen can be expected in the spring. But not on the very first day of spring. And it wasn't just the pollen on my car — in an hour or so, I was sneezing, and coughing and my eyes got watery and muscle aches started — that’s my allergies all right. Again, quite expected in the spring but on the 21st of March! I remember clearly that when I was growing up thirty-five years ago, the pollen and allergy season started in May. Then, as years went by — it was in late April, then in the middle of April. Knowing that I had already made an appointment with an allergist for right after Easter, as I do every year in recent years. But layers of pollen on all solid surfaces and everywhere in the air at such an early date is simply unheard of. I shared my thoughts with people at work and in return I got silent stares. It seems that is not a big deal. That is considered normal now.
It fucking isn't.
And I cannot be the only one who noticed that and is aware of the past and the change (and speed) at which our climate is spiraling without control. I cannot be the only one who cares and experiences the understanding of change firsthand. What the hell is wrong with people? Just look around, that is our reality, and no — it is not fucking normal! That conjuring up of the reality that everything is fine has to stop! I cannot be the only one seeing and facing reality, can I?
