Mr. Attenborough's Neighborhood

The Yummish Council is guilty of a great many sins, the worst of which may be extreme self-involvement. The number of hours we can spend staring at various workstation screens, entirely consumed by worlds of our own making, is truly astounding. (Not to mention, rough on the eyesight and not really great for one's posture.) While we are immensely grateful for these gifts of creativity, it is  also easy to find ourselves becoming a little too insular. We need, on occasion, to be reminded to go outside and play.

Too often these days, the only time we think about the world outside of ourselves is when we read distressing, depressing news stories online about the “destruction of the environment.” It is a terrifying and overwhelming problem that can't be solved quickly or easily. Thus, we find ourselves avoiding the discomfort of the topic by avoiding thoughts of “nature” all together.

That is the signal that it's time for a trip to Mr. Attenborough's neighborhood.

Known in the United States as “that funny British man from those nature documentaries that PBS runs during the pledge drive” our fourth Yummish Saint, David Attenborough has more honorariums, let alone accomplishments, than we have the space or inclination to list here. (Again, our thanks to the good nerds of Wikipedia.)

Mr. Attenborough's nature documentaries, such as “Life” or “Blue Planet” are more than edu-tainment. They are joyful celebrations of the beauty, diversity and horror of what it means to be alive in our world. Infused with the man's own sense of genuine curiosity and endless wonder, these shows inspire the same in the viewer. Painstakingly filmed and, occasionally painfully unflinching, they are beautifully graphic reminders of the world-wide daily struggle we know as “living.” These documentaries have the power to bring not just the world, but your individual place within it, into sharp focus.

For his many decades of dedication to exploring, explaining and helping to preserve the precious environment we call home, it is our pleasure to confer upon David Attenborough, the title of Yummish Saint.


Today's exercise: Explore Mr. Attenborough's neighborhood.

Next: No clue. Really. Not a one. The well is dry.

(In the meantime, check out Mom in High Heels http://myheelsarehigherthanyours.blogspot.com/, a very fertile blog these days...)