Hey tweets, I've been swamped at work lately, so I haven't been able to
post. But three days ago, there was the most lovely flock of
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS hawking high in the sky over Union Bay. They were
mixed in with some TREE SWALLOWS, but the flock was mostly
violet-greens. I always marvel at how miraculous it is to see these
little guys come back in the spring. They are so little, and they come
so far.

It is a lesson in the true meaning of strength, a lesson I really need
in my life. I've been thinking about the futility of one person's
feeble efforts to change the world. My efforts have seemed puny and
ineffective, and I found myself getting discouraged. Then my students
interviewed a scientist-teacher for our book project, who said that he
had observed a big difference in the way that boys and girls react when
someone does something wrong. Boys, he said, tend to seek justice. They
want the culprit caught and punished. Girls, on the other hand, are
more interested in re-weaving the social fabric, which they perceive
has been ripped by the bad action of the wrong-doer.

Hearing this made me realize that much of how I spend my life is about
re-weaving the social and environmental fabric that can get so tattered
so quickly. It made me think that even if all I can do is repair one
tiny rip, that is still making a significant contribution to the beauty
of the whole.

Any little action that I may have taken over the past year, therefore,
has contributed to the betterment of one of my most deeply held
causes: preservation of the environment. Have I saved the environment?
No, not completely; not by myself. Have I helped? Yes. Does it matter?
Emphatically yes. In fact, in some respects, doing little things is at
least as significant as doing big things, because anyone can do a
little thing. So if we can ourselves each do a little thing, we can
serve as examples for others, encouraging them to do little things too.
The Great Pyramid is a huge structure, but it is made of small blocks -
millions of them, each put in place by a small team.

Seeing those violet-green swallows swooping over the water, their
violently green backs glowing more vividly than anything the Green
Lantern ever produced - that was my reward. It was well worth the wait,
well worth the effort. - Connie, Seattle

csidles at isomedia.com