Vernal Equinox 2023 is indeed notable in many respects, not least of all because we are emerging from a pandemic. Much was lost, much was endured; hence, the lingering pandemia— ennui, malaise, depression, and anxiety. In spite of that, more recently I have noticed people coming out of hibernation, physically and emotionally, and coming together…into a changed world. Much hangs in the balance, and much is at stake.
For me, it is a time to connect, collaborate, and co-create. I take these lessons from the creaturely world. Ecosystems thrive through collaborations, messy, sometimes turbulent collaborations. They depend on the ability of each creature, each being, to express their capabilities and creativity. Have you ever looked closely at a hummingbird nest?
The spider must spin their web, the lichen must live on trees that grow, and soft, downy materials of plants and grasses must burst forth—all ingredients to create the hummingbird’s strong and intricate nests. Many lives at many scales are woven together into generations.
This is what it means to say that we are entangled…for me, the vernal equinox is a time to celebrate this complex entanglement, finding even little ways to support interdependent systems. Creating a multispecies future means finding ways to regenerate, reweave, and rise together in flourishing.
