Animals, Leadership, Trees

Pinelands Fire

Sadly, there has been a wildfire raging in southern New Jersey, in an area that is called the Pinelands or Pine Barrens. It has burned over 15,000 acres and has been only 65% contained as I write this blog. The Pinelands is the biggest surviving forest on the eastern seaboard south of Maine’s North Woods. It has over 800,000 acres of forest, of which only about half is permanently preserved.


It is a very special place and has a unique biological diversity – a kind of Noah’s Ark for species adapted to the area.

The fire was started by a nineteen year old who decided to build a bonfire. He did not extinguish it properly and the result is devastating for the people and animals who live in the area, and for the forest itself. Adults must protect our natural habitats and teach our children to do the same! Nature is not to be taken for granted.

Life

On Fire

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Pacific Palisades, California

Many people have been affected by the recent fires around Los Angeles, California. More than 27 people have perished and over 12,000 buildings have been destroyed. Some people lost everything and got out with only a change of clothes, a laptop, and important documents. When my friend called me crying and told me of her loss, I cried too. It felt deep and visceral. It unearthed me. It felt vulnerable, tragic and sad. And it felt scary. How often do we take things for granted? Big things, little things. Drinking tea out of our favorite cup. Putting on a favorite sweater. Being able to talk to a friend next door. This life is not for wimps. Take solace in each day’s blessings. Be grateful for what you have. Tomorrow is not promised.

One of my yoga teachers sent this poem by Canadian poet Rupi Kaur. Maybe it will give you some solace.

“They could take away
everything we have
and we’d conjure this
beautiful life up all over again
with the bones in our backs
building an empire
from the ground up
is exactly what we’re good at”

Animals

2025

Another year is upon us and as I get older it feels like the days go by faster and faster. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I like to smell freshly roasted chestnuts in New York City, see red ribbons tied on packages, and smell the scent of fresh pine trees. I also love to hear holiday carols and the feeling of good will among many. That said, I realize this season can be difficult at times. Family resentments, unrealistic expectations, and unfinished business between people can cause anger and sadness. I encourage you to acknowledge your feelings and remember that a walk outside, a phone call with a friend, or sitting with your favorite pet can do wonders to lighten your worries, troubles or concerns.

May you have good health and many blessings as you journey forth. And thank you for being kind to animals.

Life

Darkness and Light

As we take a moment to celebrate all of the holidays during this special season I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge all of you who read this blog. I thank you for your comments and support, and wish you much happiness and many blessings.

Since the days are getting shorter and the nights longer, I have been thinking of darkness and light, and their meaning in our lives. Many people say that is a time to slow down and be reflective, and a time to set new intentions for the future. I agree. We can also remember not to get stuck in our heads and to follow our hearts. Yes, the mind likes routine, predictability and to feel safe; yet the art of true happiness is through the heart which prefers spontaneity and adventure. I shall endeavor to find a balance between the mind and the heart, and hope you can too. With my warmest wishes, Nicole

Life

Courage

In moments of difficulty or stress, I endeavor to remember to have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. And I keep getting up, no matter how many times I fall.

Carbon Footprint Reduction, Climate Change

Hurricane Helene

Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

I have not written about hurricanes in a little while and yet I now must.  Last week Hurricane Helene (category 4) swept up the western coast of the United States, leaving devastating damage and destruction throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  More than 170 people are dead or missing and almost 2 million people had no power.  Homes and buildings were twisted and left looking like pickup sticks.

Climate Week also took place in New York City with pledges to triple funding for nuclear energy, the establishment of a new green banks’ forum, and calls for more carbon removal.  Education about sustainability was also high on the list so that corporations and the general public better understand the options they have to remove carbon.

I bring up these two topics because they are intertwined.  The consequences of climate change are high.  If we persist in driving up CO2 levels in the atmosphere, we will continue to experience catastrophic weather events which devastate lives, businesses, and our emotional well-being.  We must reduce our carbon footprints, we must work with one another, and we must act urgently.  As I have said before, time is of the essence.

Life

A Wedding and a Funeral

These last weeks I had the honor to be part of both a wedding and a funeral. The wedding was for my best friend. It was a joyous celebration and a wonderful reminder of the happiness that two people can bring to each other and to those around them. The funeral, on the other hand, was for a “grand homme”, a great man who was like a father to me. He was young, yet managed to positively touch the lives of so many around him. He taught me so many things, and I will miss him dearly.

What springs forth from this wedding and funeral, two deeply moving events, and the people in them, is the reminder that we must endeavor to live each day well. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and our every behavior has a ripple effect down the line, touching someone else or even an animal. Life has its joys and its sorrows, its ups and downs, and its hardships. And I keep hold of these words by Khalil Gibran, “your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you, as by the way your mind looks at what happens”.

ANIMAL WELFARE, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY Copyright_2023