are you listening?

 i was listening to a podcast of ted talks.  love the ted talks.  it was about listening.  as a nurse i have a unique opportunity to listen.  to actually shut up and listen to a wide variety of people from all walks of life.  different cultures, different economic situations, in emotionally difficult times of their lives, drug addicts, alcoholics, the good the bad and the lost. 

 i remember my mother teaching me about listening.  about asking questions and then listening to the answers.  she taught me that people like to be heard, to feel heard and that this is a thing that rarely happens for most of us really.  so many are so busy thinking of their next thing to say, how to respond to the topic that is at hand...they don't actually listen to what you say.

 i'm pretty convinced that this is a major reason our nation is in such a state.  nobody listened.  nobody spoke to each other about topics that weren't comfortable.  when we did start talking, there was a lack of listening. all we knew how to do was scream at each other, over each other.  we were all so sure that the way we saw the world was the right way to see the world.  we were so sure that the others, who saw things so differently, were the lunatics.

 still nobody listens.  do i feel heard?  really heard, no.  so i write so that i can tell myself the things that are in my head are out there, waiting to be heard.  ready to be heard.  does that make me heard, no, it just allows me to trick myself into feeling heard.

 nobody wants to think that the way they think is damaging to others.  ultimately i think most of us still want basically the same things.  where do you see our world in the years to come?

 i want a world where the next generations can still see wilderness open and free.  that all the wildlife is not only to be found behind bars.  there just is nothing as amazing as seeing wild, wild.  for many this is just foreign really, until they come to a place like Alaska.  my hope is that we protect the wild areas, the wildlife. that generations to come will appreciate these things and desire to protect them rather than tear them up for oil or mining. that generations to come will understand the impact of human activities on the wild. 

 i hope to live in a world and leave a world where people exist together. appreciate each others differences instead of fear them.  i hope that all children are given the opportunity to be educated and to realize their potential.  that hate will not divide us, that love will conquer.  that we will rise up together rather than tear each other down.  listened to a story of a deaf percussionist and watched a video of a piano player who only has like 3-4 fingers total.  i have often wondered as i see children starve or die from treatable diseases...which of those kids was the next great artist or the one who would cure terrible diseases or is a great leader...but instead of raising their lives up, we looked the other way as they died. 

 i hope to live in a world where we are all treated with more equality.  where people don't die or go into bankruptcy because they get sick or their child gets sick.  where living in a poor community doesn't mean that your kid gets a poor education. where women are allowed the same freedoms as men, where color doesn't determine how people are treated.  i hope we live in a world where those who suffer from chronic illness or special needs have access to cares so that the lives they live may be as fulfilling as possible, and we can agree to make subtle changes that make life just a bit easier for them and for their families.

 i hope to live in a world where truth is spoken and ethics in government is the norm.   where women and girls are free to do their jobs or go about their lives without being sexually harassed or molested or raped. a world where 5 year old girls have no idea what it means to be gang raped, where children are allowed to be children. 

 i hope to live in a world where guns are not treated as idols to be worshiped and protected but instead are just a means of protection. i hope to live in a world where we again feel safe going to a concert, or school or church.  where people who have mental health issues are given the help they need and no longer have to live on the streets and treat themselves with drugs and alcohol. 

 i hope to live in a world where people can practice their religion without fear of reprisal.  i hope to also live in a world where those who believe differently are also free to worship as they desire or to not worship at all. where religion is no longer bastardized to cause harm to others.  i suspect God would love this as well. 

 i hope to live in a world where science is respected.  where we use scientific studies to better the world around us.  i hope we find ways to protect our earth from the damages incurred by industrialization.  i hope more would act in ways to protect our planet.  our planet will outlast us no doubt but we may eventually make living on our great earth less comfortable.

 i hope for a world where people think twice before tossing trash out their windows, who think twice before putting recyclables into landfills, who think twice before adding to the problems we have.  who will plant trees instead of felling them.

 i hope for a world where borders are not barriers.  where we welcome each other and help each other. 

 i hope for a world where peace wins over war.  where kindness wins over greed.  where love wins over hate. 

 these are arctic terns.  they have the longest migration.  they travel from Antarctica to Alaska every year and back again.  still they have so much energy it's tough to photograph them.  amazing. 

 today we just did a loop in Campbell Airstrip.  then we meandered down to Potters and a bit further, but the weather was looking more sketchy.

 nest building.  not sure why they feel the need to travel so far twice yearly? oh the things these birds have seen.

 potters is buzzing with activity.  birds of many feathers are flocking together.  why can humans not follow that lead.  why can we not tolerate each other?

 another migrating species.  the swans are back in town as well.

 much post eating cleaning being done out there this evening.

 those swans can really torque their heads for a good clean.

 the coughing and the pain are beginning to lessen.  this is always good. still hitting the inhalers.

 swan with partner.  they will be setting up a nest soon as well.

 more head contorting.

 checking the under carriage.

 also stopped by the shelter.  always hoping for that perfect orange extra toed cat/kitten.  there were a pair of orange cats..tempting but do i really want 3 cats?  in the parking lot there was a bull moose so i snapped a few shots of him, which are seen above as well.  it looks like he's in a cage, he's actually on the street side of the fenced area.

 our world is turning more and more green by the day. 

 this was posted by the rangers out at Round Island...pretty amazing shot of these walrus chilling with the sea lions...even more amazing is that this is a female with a calf...this is not seen here as the females follow the pack ice north.  the pack ice is further and further away though so the females have been found to be hauling out on land further south...this is really far south.  will be interesting to see if the are spotted later in the season chilling with the hoards of males on the island or will they keep to themselves.  super interesting though.

 some snap shots i captured from the cam below to share the walrus love.  i do hope for a world where these amazing animals have a place to live and enough ice to haul out with their wee ones. 

 smoosh face.   they do know how to relax. there was a disturbance the other day i guess.  watched the video.  the heads all went up, it's usually a rock fall that scares them.  engines are not allowed within 3 miles of the island.  planes are supposed to keep their distance as well.  walrus spook easily on land.  they can be quite cumbersome on land, so moving fast on land is not a real possibility...they weigh up to 2 tons.  it makes them vulnerable and therefore  skittish.  the risk of the females and calves hauling out on beaches is them being spooked and charging for the water, the calves are at great risk during these stampedes of being trampled. 

 there was a bit of a disturbance followed by a stampede.  they walrus were not too deep so no harm done.  they went away for a few days though.  once they leave the island they usually just head out to feed for a few days before returning.

 these walrus have been lying around a bit.  when they have been out to sea they tend to return to land looking quite pale.  the blood is shunted.  as they warm back up the blood returns to their outer layers and they pink up and then darken.

 they love to snuggle together.  though they also grumble a bit as their bunk mates move about. 

 tusk poking is very common.  no real injuries on the beach.  they have thick skin...i'm sure it's a bit uncomfortable though. 

 these are at first beach.  there is a third camera and they have, at times, this past week had all three cameras up. 

 back to main beach.  a young walrus looks up at the cameras. 

 the cliff camera gives some beautiful sunset views.

 the walrus are bathed in pink as the sun sets.

 a few more sunset shots from the past few days. 

 i better get to bed.  the pups are already crashed out. they got some good runs in today.  they love to run. 

thankful for:  A.  the return of the migrating birds B. being able to live with the wild and experience great animals in their natural habitats, free.  C.  the stories i have heard from patients...they have impacted how i see the world.