Outside In

[Original Earthmark post - Jan 31, 2022]

I had this idea that starting a YourTube Channel might be a good stretch for me. I'm a little terrified to be frank! But I'm up for it... After all, Albert Einstein is credited with saying:

“Once you stop learning, you start dying.”

So let's try something new!

My friend Kenneth is the master of learning new things when shift happens. Nope - not a typo. Life changes so fast nowadays that we can't possibly stay the same and still be relevant. As the world shifts, so we too need to adapt, learn and diversify. And isn't that something Nature teaches, too? Whilst evolution (adaptation) can take a very long time, acclimation can be rapid.

The National Geographic Society defines an adaptation as:

"...any heritable trait that helps an organism, such as a plant or animal, survive and reproduce in its environment."

Acclimation on the other hand can be defined as:

"...a set of reversible physiological changes occurring in the individual plant under stress." (Baxter et al., 2014)

It's super hot without a whisper of a breeze in Cape Town today, so I'm acclimating by sitting next to (very nearly on top of) the fan! I've also applied some citronella lotion to deal with the influx of mosquitos. And if I had a swimming pool I'd absolutely be in it! When the temperature soars birds frequent the bird bath (or stream or pond) more often. Wildebeest in the Kalahari cope with drought by expanding the area they cover on a daily basis to access dwindling water supplies.

This pandemic has also been a prompt to acclimate and adapt. Many people have needed to reimagine the way they do business. As Ken did. His business went from in-person to online almost faster than you can say "lockdown"! And so - in true Kenbo fashion - he became a superb videographer. Here's a link to a little video he made after a Remotely-Guided Forest Therapy Walk with me in December:

I'm not sure I'll nail vlogging at that level any time soon, but he's certainly an inspiration. And check out his venture - South African Murder Mysteries. His events are legendary.

As for me - the plan is to look at how we bring the outside into our living spaces. Should I do it? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below...