My Line In The Sand
Shree Pancha School
The glacier collapse and subsequent flooding to devastate Nepal in recent days feels heavy in my heart, and should feel heavy for the world right now. We no longer can use the ‘business as usual’ mindset. The world has shifted as we know it, the big picture, the future, those plans of the status quo have shifted and I feel maybe the events of Nepal, the horrific genocide in Palestine, global climate disasters including the heatwave in Europe, the AI boom, and many other global events are what has put a line in the sand on what we as humans can manage and fathom emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Throughout the rhetoric of climate awareness, we have all heard the line 'the planet will being ok. It is us humans that will pay the price'. Many have continued to ignore the signs, to the point now where any hope of reducing our footprint and reducing the temperature and reaching climate goals have now completely been missed.
It is too late. We lost the fight. That is a fact.
We all have our touch points on what will trigger us to feel deeply, act and take note when it comes to climate and global issues. Find what that is for you, because it will be your catalyst for preparation of this new phase of humanity.
Sarah Wilson recently said “nature never strays from the true rhythm of life. It doesn’t get distracted, it doesn’t attach itself to things. We only have to be in it and OUR nature remembers how we are meant to be in the world.”
We are nature, and our mind, body and spirit is uplifted for being in it.
As nature adapts to this new normal for itself, we adapt as best we can, we rise, we fall, we get back up, if we can. We need to feel all the feels deeply with self awareness and honesty.
What was once normal, may not (will not) be our new normal. How do we feel about that? What does that even mean? Does food security look different? Do outdoor activities adapt or change seasons? Do we stay indoors more? Do we change how we consume? (I hope so) Do we still travel overseas? Are we kinder to each other?
These are the questions I am asking, and these are the thoughts that help prepare me mentally, emotionally and productively for the future. What am I doing now to serve me for later in this changing world.... ?
Nepal has been a spiritual and physical cleanse for so many trekkers and travellers over the years. Once you have been touched by Nepal it never lets you go. I have been fortunate to visit Nepal twice, the second visit deepening the embrace, embedding the country as a place where humanity needs to find perspective, connection to mother earth and feel the vulnerability of being surrounded by the largest mountains on earth. And whilst our body experiences nature at it’s purest form in Nepal, we find ourselves reflecting on what life looks like to us back in our western lives, the complexity of how we have tangled our human-ness to a system that is no longer serving us in so many ways.
For me Nepal is a north star for peace, perspective, connection to nature and ourselves. That just shifted, and that feels wildly significant in the timeline of events that mark change for OUR civilisation.
If you would like to donate to the efforts in Nepal I would suggest now looking at The Australian Himalayan Foundation. https://www.australianhimalayanfoundation.org.au/2026-nepal-floods
These photo's were taken when I worked for World Expedition. The top photo is of me visiting a school called Shree Pancha in the Annapurna region. The World Expedition Foundation had a community project travel trip helping this community build extra, much needed classrooms for their growing school. I was fortunate enough to visit and officially open the classrooms. As you can imagine, this moment will stay with me forever.
