Photo: Andrew Miller
When an earthquake lays waste to a land that both nurtures our dreams of treasures untold and harbors one of the kindest, gentlest and most hardworking cultures, every idea of fairness and justice is called into question. It is an insanely helpless position to see from so many miles away the destruction of Nepal. An entire community and its most sacred areas brought to its knees, and a place that has already seen so much tragedy — it is gut wrenching. Especially close to the heart of this action sports community, Nepal is the gateway to our Shangri-La. You’ve either been there and it’s changed your life, or the dream of the Himalayas has followed you around like a stray dog for as long as you can remember. One way or another, the dreams of Nepal are wound tightly with the fibers of our highest imaginations.
Photo: Andrew Miller
This is a land that is no stranger to Mother Nature’s wrath. We have watched from the safety of our computers how angry and unfair this natural world can be. It seems especially hard when it comes down on the kind, gentle, and hardworking Nepalese. The death toll of this most recent disaster rises daily; and then there is the loss of so many sacred and ancient monuments and places of worship, the beating heart to most communities.
Photo: Andrew Miller
It is terrible to know these things. And while some of us may be in a place to aid the relief efforts either with time or money, most are left feeling powerless with an inability to help by being too far away or lacking the funds to do so.
Photo: Andrew Miller
This isn’t the first time that we have been faced with this situation. Gnarly shit happens all over the world, all of the time. And there doesn’t really seem to be anything that can be done to prevent it from happening. Not by him with a below-poverty retail salary. Not by her with a job that won’t allow a long weekend off, let alone a month, to volunteer for relief work in Asia. Yet this undeniable reality of the responsibilities and financial barriers brought on by everyday life is just a hazy veil that separates us from being a help to those that need it. To make myself a part of the solution in situations that seem so impossibly fucked, I took a step back and reminded myself of a few crucial things:
1. There is no act of financial help that is too small. We are strong in numbers. Find a relief aid that you trust. I tend to look towards Jimmy Chin, Renan Ozturk, and other adventurers in our community — these folks have done their homework and are deeply invested. Five dollars multiplied by all of us is no small number.
2. Educate yourself about what is truly needed. The knowledge is out there and it is our responsibility to access it. We all have a special skill that can be a great boon to those in need. Can you throw parties that have donation jars at the door? Can you organize fund raisers? Are you a builder? A crafter? A famous athlete that has the ear of the youth? Without a doubt you have something inside that can help.
3. Participate in the educated spreading of information. Keep this crisis on the forefront of the daily discussion. Sardonic stabs at politicians and celebrities should take to the back burner (or, better yet, the trash). The people of Nepal will be dealing with this for the rest of their lives; let’s keep it in our hearts as well — there is a lot of power in intention.
4. Be proactive. Keep an eye on the future. Mother Nature is clearly beyond pissed. Our winter was proof of that. There is always something that can be done on the home front to staunch some of the bleeding. Amazing organizations like Protect Our Winters, Surfrider Foundation, and 1% For The Planet are keen to utilize all of your extra energy.
5. Finally, but perhaps most importantly, don’t be discouraged by how insurmountable this feels. Do not hide from this because it seems too big. If you have seen ants build a hill then you know that if we work together there is nothing that can’t be done. The Nepalese are predominately Hindu, a religion that reminds us that we are all one and that life is about harmony and freedom. Which means that your part, however small, still matters.
Photo: Andrew Miller
I stand alongside the people of the world as we find our own ways to get Nepal back on its feet. In the famous words of one very small but very powerful Jedi: “There is no try, only do.”
All photographs are courtesy of Andrew Miller, from a journey to Nepal with Jeremy Jones for Higher. To purchase one of his prints from the expedition, head on over to Asymbol.co.
A version of this article, ‘Many Drops Will Fill Up a Bucket,’ originally appeared on Asymbol.co.
