Oslofjord and Ecological Grief

This evening invited people into a quieter kind of conversation. One that began with a simple question. What does it mean to truly listen?

Philosopher and writer Martin Lee Mueller, who lives by the Oslo Fjord, shared reflections from his upcoming book A Hundred Years of Listening: Letters to My Daughter. His work explores the relationship between love, grief, and the natural world, shaped both by his role as a father and his deep connection to the fjord.

The starting point was something many people feel but rarely talk about. As nature changes and species slowly disappear, there is a sense of loss that is hard to name. Ecological grief is not always loud. Sometimes it shows up as silence, as unease, or as a quiet awareness that something is no longer the same.

Through stories and reflections, the conversation moved towards listening. Listening not just as hearing, but as paying attention. To the fjord. To the living world. To each other. And to the next generation growing up in the middle of these changes.

Participants shared thoughts, feelings, and moments of recognition. The space allowed for both reflection and connection, without needing clear answers or solutions.

The evening became less about fixing a problem, and more about staying present with it. A reminder that in a changing world, listening can be a way of holding on to what matters.