For eight years I have been a part of Grandmother's Standing on Mother's Day, at 1:00PM. 

​It started in a small Oregon community with a handful of grandmothers and it has grown to envelop many cities in the U.S. and around the world. I have been signing up and standing no matter where I find myself because it means something to me -- now that I am an elder and a grandmother -- to say this prayer for all children. 

I have stood in unity with groups of women and stood alone in the forest reciting this prayer.   Each time I feel even more grounded in taking my place as part of the elder generation. I bring my own grandmothers into the circle with me as I now stand as an Elder Grandmother; being reminded of their love for me and the value of their teachings. 

So join me, will you? 
Find a group of grandmothers and grandfathers or just stand as you are able wherever you are and read this prayer. 

DECLARATION OF STANDING
   We are standing for the world’s children and grandchildren, and for the seven generations to come.
   We dream of a world where all of our children have safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, and enough food to eat.
   A world where they have access to a basic education to develop their minds and healthcare to nurture their growing bodies.
   A world where they have a warm, safe and loving place to call home.
   A world where they don’t live in fear of violence--in their homes, in their neighborhoods, in their schools, or in their world.
   This is the world of which we dream.
   This is the cause for which we stand.

Diane Tilstra, is a on the Leadership Council of the Conscious Elders Network, and is a Planetary Protectionist serving her community in many ways.  She is a member of the Washington Trafficking Prevention Board, UWT - Center for Community and Society Volunteer, Meaningful Movies Tacoma Lead, Rotary Youth Exchange - Tacoma Rotary 8, and Legal Rights for the Salish Sea; all in addition to being an attentive and loving grandmother.

​Dear Friends,  When I met Diane this past September at a Joanna Macy workshop I was both impressed with her personal clarity and vision, and also the many intersections of her life and mine -- one of which was our interests in travel and connecting with folks who are vastly different from ourselves.  Read more about how Diane turned her interests into a small and very effective program that connects her community in upstate New York with children on the streets in Kampala.

Retiring in 2002 from being a manager with state government, I knew I wanted to be of service and work internationally in my next phase of life. My lifelong wanderlust had developed into a fascination with other cultures and what made people both similar and unique.  In 2005 I traveled to Iran and Syria with a small citizen diplomacy group.  Our mission was to let government officials and everyday citizens know that—contrary to our government at the time—not all Americans considered them the “axis of evil”.  My eyes became opened to the many ways we can voice our opinion and be heard in places where it matters most.

At the same time, I was studying with environmental activist and Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy.  Through her teachings I learned that activism takes many forms.  Important as “holding actions” are, they are only one approach to being an activist and making change possible.

A few months later I fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting Africa.  Preferring travel with a purpose, I took a photo workshop in Uganda where I documented the lives of street children.  Through that experience I met 20-year-old Ronnie Sseruyange, who had become a street kid at age 6.  For the next ten years he lived with other children on the streets of Kampala, foraging for food during the day and hiding from police at night. 

​NANCY OGILVIE is the founder and chief visionary for Our Climate Change Legacy, a community of wise, loving and fierce elders joining together as a powerful voice and force to turn the tide on climate change. The OCCL community engages in mutual learning, mutual support, and joint action. You can reach her at www.facebook.com/ourcclegacy or[email protected].
I was thrilled to "meet" Nancy via the internet and discover how much we have in common.  Apparently my vision of Elder-Activists is shared by others!  Read Nancy's story below and explore another view of Elder Activists....   Lynne

All it takes is reading or listening to the daily news to see that our world is in a heap of pain and trouble. It can be challenging not to feel instantly overwhelmed and tempting to simply look away, telling ourselves there’s nothing we, as an individual, can do to make a difference.

I challenge you to consider that those of us who are elders have unique gifts that only we can contribute – gifts that come from decades of lived experience. With some persistence and luck, we have harvested the gifts of love and wisdom that come from longevity. We have developed a level of confidence and trust that allows us a certain boldness and freedom to speak our minds. When we pool these gifts together, we CAN make a difference!  Together, we are exclusively equipped to be a powerful voice and force for turning the tide on climate change and creating a better world.

Having just turned 63, I gladly choose the label of “elder activist.” “Elder” is a title of honor and self-respect, reflecting the work I have done to grow in love and wisdom based on my life experience.  “Activist” means putting that wisdom and love into actions that leave a world that is better for my presence in it.

Claiming my “elder activist” self at this time in my life is a revolutionary act! It demonstrates my choice of service over self-indulgence, hope and action over despair and immobilization, love and gratitude over self-pity, wisdom and open-mindedness over ignorance and thoughtlessness.  It commits me to living in clarity and awareness, making deliberate, well-informed choices, applying the gifts of a lifetime to leaving a legacy of a vibrant and fulfilling life to future generations.

In the 1950s, the US was deeply mired in the fear of Communism. We hid from Russian bombs, scrunching under our wooden desks.  However, the Catholic school I attended had a visionary nun who declared that we were not to worry about a 3rd WW with the USSR. No, we should worry about war with China.  It stuck with me, but sat for decades on the back burner.

In 1965, I became a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines.  My activist sister protested the Viet Nam war.  The conformist, I wore makeup and a bra while exploring our vast world. Then in 1983 my life turned 180 degrees when I went to China on a 3-week tour. The nun’s words came back to me as I fell in love with the country, people and philosophy, returning again and again.  

China became my passion. I led friendship tours, taking airline employees to China for the US-China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA).  I lived in Hangzhou in the 1990s and again in 2006/7 where I taught English as a Second Language (ESL). I made lots of friends.  Certainly, we wouldn’t bomb those we knew and loved!