The State of Things (cont)
Karen's daughter, Quinn, came home from school a few weeks ago asking if I would volunteer as an assistant at the "conservation club" she's a member of. They are run by the local Wildlife Trust on Tuesday lunch-breaks. The kids go to the local park and learn about nature and how important it is that we look after the world. Through lack of volunteers the club faces closure and they really need people who can spare an hour every Tuesday. People like me.
The trouble is that I can't offer my services until I get clearance from the CRB. The problem with this is that it can take anything up to 6 months (or more) to gain clearance. The club is to close in about a month if no volunteers are found.
So, instead the local Wildlife Watch called and said I could go along anyway, before any clearance was given. Yesterday was my first day as a volunteer. The kids don't really care about nature; they just want to get out of school for a bit and run round the park. The park has a stream that runs through it that is devoid of life and full of litter. This seems normal to the kids. Whereas, to me, it's a crying shame. I still have memories of river-banks being full of life - dragonflies, kingfishers, and otters etc. Whenever I get out on my bike now I struggle to find much in the way of life by the rivers I ride along.
It's all just another part of this modern-life that gets me down. All this form-filling and red-tape. Not that I object to it. I want and expect this kind of thing when it comes to vetting volunteers to work with children. What would be nice is if it didn't take quite so long. So long in fact, that people are asked to go along anyway, circumventing the whole system.
Sorry. Back to some tech-talk tomorrow. I just like to vent some steam every now and then...
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Been thinking about your post for awhile... I feel your frustration very much. All I can suggest is to lead a good example. Kids pick up on that and carry it forward.
When you commute by bike, or go out of your way to take the train, and focus on the positive aspects of either, that opens impressionable minds, and demonstrates a 'road less travelled' mindset, and that it's okay to be that way.
I can't remember where I learned it, but somehow I know not to throw trash on the ground, and am puzzled by folks that do, especially when trash cans abound. (And I realize that because of terrorism, some places don't have trash cans!). Uggh, frustrating. One positive foot forward in front of the other, ad then try to do it again.
Love the site!
You're right Lee. You can't let the fact that your actions seem a fruitless waste of time put you off. Our next generation need an example setting.