Have you ever experienced a time in your life when it seemed that everything you ever did was leading you precisely to that very moment? A moment when you were content to be just where you were, not thinking if tomorrow will bring a better day? A time of arrival, where you had reached the end of a long journey, the anticipation was finally over, you had finally made it? I am at one of those pivotal moments in life where everything has rapidly and serendipitously fallen into a surprising new place.
A year and a half ago I unexpectedly quit my previous employment to find my dream job. It really wasn't like me, to leap into the great unknown without a plan. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I was somehow unsatisfied where I was. The work was good, the pay was decent, and the people there are good people, but somehow I felt that I didn't belong, that what I was doing was not part of my higher purpose. All I truly knew was that I wanted to make a difference, to be part of the solution. After all, as I've stated here many times before, if you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Then one day I found what I thought was the perfect job opportunity. The Georgia Strait Alliance was looking for a Salmon Aquaculture Campaigner and this was something I truly cared about. I already spent a lot of time researching the issue, blogging about it, signing petitions, and writing letters to government and industry about the perils of open net cage salmon farming. So I was dejected when I was not chosen for the job, but learned that I assuredly did not know as much as I thought I did about the issue. Certainly by laypersons' standards I am very informed on the subject, but I was clearly not the right person for the job.
Despite the setback, I was touched and elated by the kind words of former Executive Director turned Senior Advisor Laurie MacBride, who admired Keeping Down with the Jones' and my passion for the environment, and suggested that there might be something else opening up with them soon. Shortly thereafter, I received a call from Laurie about the position I currently hold and, with the approval of our new Executive Director Deborah Conner, here I am, Administrative Director of an amazing organization. I am temporarily replacing an extraordinary woman while she is on maternity leave. Well, replacing is really a misnomer, as Cathy could never truly be replaced, but it is great to finally have my foot in the door of an industry I relish being a part of.
Which brings me back to the serendipity of it all. Who would have thought that such varied skills and interests would lead me to such a wonderful place in life. From my Chartered Accountancy designation, to my passion and advocacy for the environment, from experience working with diverse groups such as various levels of government and First Nations, to my coastal living, marine and outdoor background, my life experiences have led me here. I'm so fortunate to have been welcomed into a truly amazing fellowship, a network of organizations and people working towards a common goal of protecting our planet, all of her inhabitants, and the sustainability of our communities. For once, I'm in the loop. Not just any loop, but one I've been dancing around the fringes of for quite some time, enviously watching as the game goes on, wanting to be more involved, but only able to participate as an outsider. It brings tears of joy just thinking of how lucky I truly am to feel like I'm exactly where I belong.
Now is an authentically amazing time to be involved in the environmental movement. It has shifted from the back burner of politics, a mere annoyance to most politicians, to the front running issue of our time. Canada's next Prime Minister will undoubtedly be decided primarily upon environmental policy (or, more likely, rhetoric). As a matter of fact, I feel like I have jumped on the band wagon, that the movement has developed an unstoppable momentum of its own, reaching critical mass. So many people and organizations are concerned about the environment, and taking effective action, that we can surely only go forward in a positive direction. Despite the massive challenges we face, this is truly a momentous epoch.
I am unequivocally charmed to be able to participate in this important time in history from the platform of a young and refreshing, yet established, organization. Georgia Strait Alliance is a dynamic and compelling environmental organization that I am thrilled to be involved with. Our mission is "to protect and restore the marine environment and promote the sustainability of Georgia Strait, its adjoining waters and communities." I am a very strong believer in NIMBYism and the Strait of Georgia is my back yard. It is a spectacular body of water which I gaze upon as I write this and I feel honoured that it is my avocation and I'm its advocate.
Please, indulge yourself. Take the time to find an issue that you are truly passionate about and jump right in. It is the best thing anyone could do for themselves and for others. Because if you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. That's what Keeping Down with the Jones' is all about!
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