Lucy Skywalker

A few days ago I mentioned finally meeting several people I have come to know through blogging. One of those was Lucy Skywalker.  When I realised I was going to be in Lucy’s neck of the woods I had emailed and got an enthusiastic phone call in response. I took a small detour and only had about an hour to spare, but it was worth it.

When I first started to question the widespread narrative of global warming and lurking on Watts Up With That, I found Lucy as one of the regular commenters.  Her website  Skeptical Climate Science Primer was of real value to me. It provided a comprehensive source of alternative information that laid out all the various aspects, succinctly, but with links that provided depth and perspective.  The one thing that really impressed me was that Lucy, like me, started from a position of believing all the science and the hype.  Her website was easy to read, however I found some of it uncomfortable reading. I skipped over a lot of it. It was hard to disbelieve all I’d been told about climate. It was difficult to put aside my trust of the scientific community. It required a lot to let go and accept that there was much to challenge ‘the consensus’. But I kept coming back to it and gradually seeing both sides.  Making up my own mind…

So here I am several years later, having corresponded infrequently with Lucy over much of that time, able to meet her in person.

Imagine us sitting in cool shade chatting on a perfect English summer afternoon, listening to the sounds of a garden.  Lucy has what I can only describe as an aura of calm; she may speak with conviction and passion, but is softly spoken, and serious, but with a ready smile.  Lucy has stepped back from intense climate activity for a while for several reasons including personal ones about which I was already aware.  However she still has that spark that I know only too well  – of being driven share what we’ve come to believe. Lucy’s very ordered mind and enthusiasm for the science still shines through and I hope we’ll see more of its output soon.

A suggested Twelve Step Plan to Shake Off the CAGW Indoctrination (from Lucy’s site)

Step 1: Honesty Tell the truth, and listen for the truth.	Step 7: Humility Realize that no one knows everything and that science is still advancing.
Step 2: Faith Believe what can be proven.	Step 8: Willingness Make a list of those you convinced and set them straight.
Step 3: Surrender Don’t let pride keep you from freedom.	Step 9: Forgiveness Forgive yourself and also forgive those who still believe that CO2 is bad.
Step 4: Soul Searching Listen to the voice of reason within you.	Step 10: Maintenance It is OK to be wrong . Science advances by testing hypothesis and tossing the wrong ones out the window. You are a scientist !
Step 5: Integrity Don’t allow yourself or others to advance falsehoods unchallenged.	Step 11: Making Contact Stay in touch with scientific advancement and those who also stay informed.
Step 6: Acceptance Don’t think you are less of a person because you were wrong in the past.	Step 12: Service Help everyone around you remember that as you pursue truth, you are also pursuing happiness

Charles (Duncan) and I have spent the winter exchanging files and analysis and finally in the last few weeks I got to meet him too, and enjoyed a couple of days hospitality en famille.  I can’t say we spent much time talking about climate as we were too busy enjoying the lovely weather and discovering a mutual enjoyment of good food and wine.  I will say this though he has an enviable library of climate books.

I had also planned to go down to the South coast, to Devon, to meet Tony Brown (Tonyb), however that trip was cancelled due to illness. Perhaps another opportunity will arise.

In the meantime when I need a calming retreat from a stressful world I’m going to think myself back to that short interlude with Lucy. I can still hear the breeze in the trees and the birds in the garden and remember the feeling of being at peace with the world.  Lucy if you have that effect on others, and I suspect you do, that is a gift. Thank you.