Dealing with the lowest common denominator

How do we deal with people or situations that aren’t in alignment with who we choose to be or how we choose to live?

It is a natural part of life to encounter situations where people don’t see the world in the same manner we do, which as you can imagine creates natural friction. This friction or tension creates heat, which is dissipated either through discussion and release or distance and time.

Since we will ALL naturally and continually find ourselves in situations like this, what can we do?

This week I moved my family out of our beautiful mountain home for the week. It was by choice, but more by necessity. Our neighborhood, like many communities, can be run by the lowest common denominator, but allow me to explain. The mountain pine beetle (MPB) Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a species of bark beetle that kills pine trees (you can read my earlier post about Mountain Pine Beetles here). Living in the Rocky Mountains like we do, we have an abundance of pine trees, combined with an attachment to these beautiful beacons of nature.

As a species, we just don’t like it when there are things outside of our control.

There are some who believe that by soaking their pine trees with a truckload of carcinogens (Permethrin and Carbaryl to be exact), they can SLOW and if lucky SAVE some of their trees from MPB. However, they have to spray their trees EVERY YEAR, for as long as this pine beetle epidemic lasts, and it generally doesn’t work.

Arborists will tell you that the best way to fight pine beetle is to keep your trees healthy, which means managing the forest density and ensuring that your trees have the nutrients and moisture theyrequire so that they can naturally fight off the pine beetle (which they do by pushing the pine beetles out with their sap). Mountain pine beetles generally limit their attacks to injured trees, or those subject to overcrowding, old age, disease, damage, etc.

So, instead of caring for their trees, a very small group of people in my neighborhood have resorted to soaking the trees in thousands of gallons of carcinogens in the hope that the chemicals will kill the pine beetle, and in the process (by some miracle beyond my power), not kill the birds, bees, animals, and plants – and hopefully won’t sicken the people – since the chemicals seep right into our water supply (yes we are on a well). The chemicals are KNOWN carcinogens, banned across Europe and most of the world, yet we are still using it in BOULDER COUNTY of all places?

Being the two-time cancer survivor that I am, you can see why our family moved out during this time. The lowest common denominator – majority of our community is against spraying, but for the handful of families who choose ignorance over health and safety – EVERYONE PAYS THE PRICE.

How do we respond to situations which we clearly cannot control? By focusing on what we CAN control – which is who we choose to be, and the actions that we take.

We won’t win every battle, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need to. However, we always have a choice. Its not always comfortable, but we ALWAYS have a choice.

You will always find yourself in situations that are outside your control, that aren’t going the way you desire. What can you do?

Focus on what you CAN control.

Until next time,
Many blessings!
Seth