Christyl, I have Eco-anxiety, Fire-anxiety, Wildlife-anxiety, Drought-anxiety, Weather-anxiety, Extinction-anxiety, Loss-of-home-and-husband-anxiety, Global warming-anxiety, Climate change-anxiety and some regular old anxiety from trying to cope with weird weather in Australia in the last 2 months.
I needed to hear your coping strategies big time, so thank you.
I’m getting on top of it, but have a way to go after two major bushfires blackened my favourite mountains. My husband nearly killed himself trying to save our home and land from 5 fires all up. They raged and ravaged the land until a fortnight ago.
Wildlife emerged coughing with scorched fur and feet, some with bleeding mouths. I fed and watered the birds and beasts, even those I didn’t like very much like goannas.
Up to 80% of the old-growth 200 year old gum trees that line our mountains have died from three years of harrowing drought and fire smoke smothering their leaves. It is ugly, our carbon sink is sinking and I feel bad.
Writing on Medium has been my therapy. On the 17th you asked me to write the ways I cared for the animals. Here’s the link to the story you inspired.
The second link is how I wrote out my anxiety, a bit of it anyway.
Yes, I went through the five stages of grief and then some.
Thank you for your coping six-pack.
I can’t express how much I needed to read it.
I can tell you that I’m grateful you reached out to me 10000 miles away, to give great advice to part of your tribe.
