Island Press Staff Picks - Hope Is an Imperative

Today’s pick, Hope Is an Imperative, is from our Director of Production & Design, Maureen Gately: There are so many places where we can find decline these days: climate, language, resources, biodiversity, pristine places, and more. David Orr explores many of them in his book, Hope Is an Imperative. The issues that we face on a global level are so overwhelming that it’s difficult to imagine what we can possibly do to fix it and where we should start. David Orr offers a hopeful perspective—one that hadn't occurred to me before—the simple act of gratitude. “Gratitude does not begin in the intellect but rather in the heart,” Orr writes. We have become so advanced as a civilization that we’ve managed to squeeze all of the mystery out of nature and, in doing so, have lost touch with reverence and wonder for life and our surroundings. To counter that, he suggests employing gratitude in a disciplined way, as a regular daily practice. By saying thank you, we create a bond with something other than ourselves and thereby reinforce the community around us. Can we transform our culture into one that appreciates and reveres life? Orr has given me hope that we can. Read more about why hope is an imperative in Chapter 6: Gratitude Get Hope Is an Imperative for 50% off at islandpress.org. Offer valid until October 28th!