Sharman Chapman Crane
Sharman Chapman Crane
Reflections from the mountains
My well is dry. What is left to say, to write? How does one turn a herd of 7 billion from their addiction to fossil fuels? We’ve traveled so far – so fast down this road. So much momentum. We need to turn our thinking – our thoughts.
No wonder it took Moses 40 years to turn the Israelites around. There are 7 billion of us and we expect 1 leader to turn us around in 4 years? Doesn’t matter what the issues are – what matters is turning the herd, stopping this stampede. We’ve got to surrender – give up – turn off – our power.
Give it a rest. Give yourself a rest. Just stop. I don’t know how. We’ve been working on this for 27 years, learning the true cost of fossil fuels – especially coal. We live, breathe, speak, witness, write, educate, create, lobby, shop, pray, rant, rave, meditate and hear it in our sleep every day of our lives. It is the fabric of our lives.
I’m so tired.
How many days have I looked on Black Mountain?* I’ve studied the history of God’s children here – a story of oppression, I have a fair understanding of scripture, enough to know that God gave us the gift of creation and our decisions are destroying it everyday. Every time I throw a switch – somewhere it is connected to the switch that destroys another mountain for coal.
What happens when I see Black Mountain being ravaged for the coal? Some days – I just cry for the harm and the senseless destruction of God’s gift. Some days – I rant and rave against my neighbors who mine the coal, against the corporations and politicians who give us no other choices. Other days – I ask God for forgiveness for my complicity and participation in the destruction of this gift of creation – for my anger against my neighbors, for my hypocrisy in being part of the problem.
Some days – I write letters to legislators or newspapers or educate myself and others about the importance of the issue. Lately, more often, I avert my eyes from Black Mountain, I try not to feel anything. I am so tired of hurting, so tired of feeling angry or guilty, tired of not being able to stop the destruction, of not being able to celebrate. Tired of not being able to breathe.**
Just tired.
Who will restore Black Mountain? Over 500 mountains have been blown apart by mountaintop removal mining. Who will restore the rivers and creeks? Over 2,000 miles of water have been buried, polluted and diminished by valleyfills. And the southern Appalachian mountains supply over 25% of the United States’ surface water.
Who will restore the health of the communities? Out of 435 congressional districts, mine is 435th in physical health, emotional health, overall health, drug abuse per capita… Who will restore in all my holy mountains? Are not all of God’s gifts holy?
* We live at the foot of Black Mountain in Kentucky.
** I developed asthma when massive surface mining began above our home seven years ago.