Welcome
Dear Friends,
On December 18th, 1999, i returned to Terra Firma after over 2 years living aloft in the branches of my best friend, and best teacher, Luna.
I came down to a hurting world– constantly wanting and needing my help with everything they cared about. From their child’s book report, to trying to save local trees and community gardens, to ending animal cruelty for food, to creating the department of peace in response to endless wars. The issues and challenges were endless. And therefore the needs, wants, and calls on my time, person, and resources were, also, never ending.
I gave generously for over 15 years because of my deep love for all that connects us.
But the toll and price on me was too much.
People forgot there was only one of me and tens upon tens of thousands of everyone wanting, needing, asking, hoping, and demanding.
In the midst of all of my giving and supporting, i experienced brutal and painful beyond belief, personal challenges on every single level– emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, and financial.
i am not telling you this to try to gain sympathy, nor to place blame.
Rather, i am letting you know, that as much as i have so loved having the opportunity to be in service, and am humbled and grateful for the myriad areas i have been able to serve and support, the time is past due now for me to transition beyond what people continue to hope and want me to be and do. The weight is too much of a burden for one person to bear.
This message is to let you know that i am no longer available for anything at all relating to me being “Julia Butterfly Hill.”
That part of who i am is complete within me.
This website will provide some information, insights, and resources. But it is not a way for me to be reached for anything other than what is posted on the site.
i thank you in advance for your understanding, care, and support.
Love,
julia
My blog
The climate crisis and community
The hidden gift of un-sustainability is how it's forcing community. These days, it's becoming sexy and cool to be green. Our challenge is to make sure it's not just a passing trend. There's nothing like a good crisis to get people to wake up and start caring. But does that mean we need a constant state of crisis to keep people alert and conscious? This time, with the global climate crisis, there's a movement building; there's a movement that's growing
On finding hope, even when it seems there isn’t any
When I was in Luna, there was this point where I wanted to give up hope. They had cut down so many trees around me; they had cut down a tree that fell on an activist named David Gypsy Chain and killed him. And that's the point when I didn't want to have hope anymore – because I was so angry, and I was in so much pain. I'm not afraid to show my pain because that's where I know
We are ancestors of the future
Every single one of us are ancestors of the future. Every one of us is making choices that will leave a legacy that others will inherit. We cannot control the world, unfortunately. But what we can control is how we choose to show up to the woundedness, how we choose to show up to the overwhelm, how we choose to show up even when we're angry, how we choose to transform that anger into love, and find a way to