Contemplating elders' knowledges
In the beginning of my PhD journey in 2016, I was reading so many academic articles, trying to comprehend the state of knowledge in my research field, find so-called gaps in knowledge. As I walked my path, I began to feel that many articles were repetitive. In some ways, it is good because it seems that many fellow humans agree on what needs to change for a genuinely sustainable society to come into being. I was seeking inspiration beyond academic spaces. And I was inspired by other than academic spaces. Interacting with nature and non-humans is such a great source of inspiration. I am in awe of non-human animals and how little they need. For example, I've mentioned it in my autoethnography before that observing non-human animals made me feel more comfortable about wearing the same outfit every day.
I am also inspired by elderly persons. At times, they say things that are more eloquent, deep, humble, and profound than what I see in academic articles. I went to see my partner's father and stepmother who are in their 70s. They are wonderful, wise persons. Both of them were teachers, and my partner's stepmother lived abroad for a while and took part in humanitarian projects. It allowed her to see so much diversity in the world, that there is so much more than Denmark, Danish issues, Danish design. We were talking about things such as furniture and decorations. These elder persons and I live very differently. I practise minimalism and live with very few possessions. Their home looks cosy with many items (so many books!) that they have invited into their life over many years. Yet, we agree that there are more important aspects to life than stuff. They are love, care, peace, ensuring that everyone's basic needs are met. We talked about human-nature connection, the importance of being with nature as children. It reminded me of my childhood that I spent in nature. We talked about how things were in the past. There was so much I wanted to ask about sustainability practices but I didn't have time; time flies in the presence of these fellow humans.