The Times They Are a-Changin’

Things have changed, that much I am sure of. To start with, it is a new year, but honestly, I don’t think that really makes a difference. In a few days time I went from a full-time biker to a daily commuter. An hour sitting on the train in the morning followed by sitting behind a desk all day to end up back on the train for another hour. As my job, I am taking a closer look at how the food industry influences our life and our health on a daily basis, so that’s pretty damn interesting, but staring at a computer screen all day is quite the challenge. My brain likes all the new information, but my eyes start to hate me by the end of the day. Consequence? Here I am with my notebook on my lap writing down my blog instead of directly typing it on the computer. It is weekend, my eyes need a break from screens and my body is ready to go for a ride. That brings me to my good intention of 2019: I want to keep on riding my bike at least twice a week. Straightforward and simple. Is it raining, freezing or snowing? I don’t care. At the end I forget about the cold. It’s always the sense of freedom, adventure and joy that sticks.

Talking about the weather makes me realize how easily I am influenced by it. A drizzly and grey day makes me feel down, a snowy day makes me feel enthusiastic like a little child, a thunderstorm makes me feel wild and free and a sunny days gives me the feeling I am ready to face the challenges ahead, whatever they may be. I should probably share with you that today is a drizzly day for sure! Beware for what comes next. No, just kidding, I get by. Pondering about everyday life. Why people do what they do. Why people don’t do what they would like to do. The dominance of fear in our lives. Politicians trying to making things worse. If you don’t vote for them a lot of people will lose their job, money will be wasted and you’ll end up being unhappy. Keep the multinationals dominating our world, keep the corporate world making the decisions because money rules instead of common sense. The climate change debate is in full swing in Belgium. People have hope, politicians agree by saying how everything is impossible. Things are more complex than they seem. Everything can be solved with economic growth and innovation. Don’t touch our economic model, it’s our only saviour. Meanwhile, the only thing I hear behind what they say is the big money talking. Silently I feel we are burning together with our planet. People are unhappy, people live in fear and people think they need to buy more to someday reach fulfilment. Hello economical model of growth and innovation, I don’t think you’re doing that good a job. Maybe I am wrong, but I am pretty sure many among us wouldn’t mind using public transport more often if it was cheaper and of better quality. Pretty sure more people would like to ride their bicycle more if they wouldn’t feel like risking their life every time a car races past just a few centimetres away. Pretty sure people could one day feel richer with less stuff. So instead of focussing on how our lives will be ruined trying to write a better story for us and the environment, remember you aren’t a multinational company. There is a happier future ahead in a cleaner world. The only thing keeping us from heading in that direction is the corporate multinational world painting a picture trying to scare us as much as it scares them. Don’t be scared, just move one foot forward and then keep going.