You're a Firework — A Compassion Tune-up

We don't normally use the term "firework" in the singular. And I'm an old fart, so I don't follow the popular music scene much anymore. But a young friend played this song for me yesterday and it has really hit home for me. Apparently Katy Perry wrote the song herself — quite a catchy number — and made an outstanding music video with it, one that has probably saved many, many lives of young people who were feeling like cast-offs.

I took the song — and the visual of the power of one in the video — differently. I was feeling quite low yesterday, like nothing that we do matters anymore. It was a deep, visceral sense of sadness. Our young friend's mom had pointed out that the world's giant scale is weighed quite down on one side by the heaviness (and effectiveness) of those promoting big banks and fossil fuel use and continued consumerism and environmental destruction and erosion of programs that promote social equity. There's just not enough weight on the other side of the scale — not enough people, not enough voices to outweigh (or even to counterbalance) the destructive side.

This video not only reminded me that there are lots of people with their own very real personal pain who aren't yet ready to fight a bigger fight. It also reminded me that I have lots of power inside — and when it's joined with the power of others, we can create synergies. We need to encourage others to take on some of the climate change work so that our voices gain weight, and start getting some movement in the balance. So, please, if you can, take 10 minutes each week to learn one thing about the climate change emergency, or to write one letter to a newspaper, or to talk with one friend or family member about what you know and care about. Let's start putting everyone's individual "firework" together with everyone else's to create fireworks!