Sometimes there are moments where things just come into focus.  It's during these times when I realize that there's logical progression at work--not just of human history, but of my own life within it. 

One of these moments occurred last week.  I was scanning through the daily briefing from the bots at Google, an incredibly useful service that alerts me to any mention of 350.org in the media.  And one story caught my eye--it was from my hometown newspaper, and it was all about my mother.  The article described how she spearheaded one of the 1400 USA-based Step It Up events last year, bringing together hundreds of people for climate action in the town that raised me.  It went on to explain my mother's next stage of activism: a sustained campaign to sharply reduce the carbon footprint of our village.  This is no easy task--my mother and her local group  are launching a herculaen effort involving the slog of carbon auditing, the constant lobbying of elected officials, and managing the delicate dynamics of local political battles. 

And the article went on, delving into my family's history of activism accross generations--how my Grandfather had stood up for progressive policies as our nation carreened sharply to the right, how my mother convinced our Congresswoman to attend a climate rally, and how I myself have transitioned from campus organizations to international mobilizations.