Be careful what you ask for...

           

It never occurred to me when I was teaching American Literature in New York during the early 1980’s that, twenty years later, I would end up living in the land that became the focal point of John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath.  I still vividly remember teaching my students the various symbolic elements of the novel’s climactic (pun, intended) conclusion in which the Joad family, having escaped the drought-impacted plains of the Great Midwest for the more temperate climate of California, encounter a week-long downpour of rain that floods their temporary encampment, and forces them to seek higher ground.

            The plight of the Joads was brought home to me in a meaningful way on the first weekend of March when Southern California - finally - experienced a proper winter storm. In the course of 72 hours, five inches of rain fell on Los Angeles; this - not surprisingly - led to flooded conditions in various Foothill communities and mudslides in Glendora and Asuza.  Prior to that weekend, California was headed into what many climatologists believe could be the worst drought in the state’s recorded history. 

            The “recovering teacher” in me takes note of the irony inherent in the Joads’ fictional predicament and our own, modern-day dilemma, in which the admonition: “be careful what you ask for - you might get it” is in play. The Joads sought relief from drought, only to experience an even worse calamity - floods. In a similar fashion, Southern Californians prayed for rain, only to have our prayers answered with a vengeance.  Unlike the aftermath of the 2009 Station Fire, however, in which 43 homes in the hills above Glendale were damaged by mudslides triggered by the 2010 El Nino weather conditions, the recent March storm resulted in only minor residential damage.  Still, nearly 1000 homes were subject to mandatory evacuation orders during the three-day storm.

            It’s tempting to jump on (or off) the environmental band wagon when events like the Station and Colby Fires inevitably lead to flooding and mudslides…and yet, it was ever thus here in the Golden State. Scientists have recorded soot on pre-historic cave walls here in Southern California which suggests that pollution and climate change have always played a factor in the encounter between humans and the environment.  That having been said, still, it is worthwhile to consider what, if anything, we ought to be doing to avoid (or cope with) the inevitable cycle of fire and flood which appears to be the only constant in Southern California weather patterns.  In point of fact, the question is really larger than that; and it is underscored by the experience of the Joad family.

            Through no fault of their own, and, in order to survive, they escaped one environmental disaster only to be confronted by a different - and equally devastating - weather event. The novel ends with a rather mysterious - and controversial - moment in which Rosaharn, the Joad daughter who just lost her newborn to the excruciating conditions of extreme heat and lack of food and water voluntarily ministers to an emaciated and starving stranger sharing their constrained patch of dry land. Steinbeck’s message is inescapable: human beings are responsible for how we react to environmental disasters and, even more so, for the generation of hope in the face of implacable and arbitrary threats to our existence on this planet.

            I’m reminded of this imperative whenever I discover stories of our alums who look to make a difference in their particular corner of the world.  The Spring issue of Lancer Magazine, for example, features a piece on Ryan McEvoy ’96 who, without intending it, pioneered the introduction of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles here in Pasadena.

As we gear up for a capital campaign to build a practice gym, aquatics and fitness centers, I am mindful of the precarious state of California’s water and energy supplies - as illustrated by the March climate events. It makes sense to me that we need to ensure our new buildings are as energy (and water) efficient as possible…if for no other reason than because the cost to operate these buildings will only increase pressure on raising tuition, going forward.

That having been said, it’s the inspiring example of alums like Ryan McEvoy ’96 who remind me that the Joads' picaresque journey to California not only represents “art imitating life”, but that their story of grit, determination and - yes - heroism can teach us a great deal about how to respond to life’s twists and turns - especially when it comes to things we can’t control - like the weather.