April 20, 2017 Kathryn Lyster
April 22: Mother Earth Day
We go about our lives mostly in a rush with a long list of things to do and people to see. How often do we really stop and think about the source of everything that sustains us? I’m talking about mother earth. This holy planet. A.k.a ‘Our Home’.
They say in life everything is a flow, or at least, it should be. In the seeking of right relationships, we want reciprocation, good ol’ give and take. But, how often do we take even a moment to think about giving back to the earth? It seems that all we do is use the earth – for resources, shelter, food, animals, water – but what do we give back? How do we make sure that the earth is not exploited in this relationship? How do we look after the earth? The answer is that we don’t. Our society is entirely focused on what we can get from the earth, often in extreme detriment to the environment and natural ecosystems of the earth. If the earth were a person, we’d be telling him/her to break up with us, to walk away, that you can’t keep giving without getting anything back, especially if you are taken for granted, trampled on and damaged in the process.
Of course some things are essential – we need water, food and shelter, but there are a million ways that we can flow something back to the earth as well. It is inevitable that we take, but high time that we shift our thinking to the possibility of giving back, because we want the earth to be happy, healthy and shining, don’t we? Look where we are – at the edge of the edge: the threat of climate change, global warming, polluted water, toxic soil, oceans full of trash. We have thought of the earth as a partner we could exploit, abuse and leach dry. But really, where else in life can you get away with that sort of behaviour? It’s not cool to be a bad friend...
Think of the earth as your friend.
Can we see the earth as a very beautiful friend who has given us absolutely everything – has even kept us alive. Can we think about giving something back, a prayer, a choice, a commitment, a conversation, a more gentle footstep on the ground... We have the power, the right and the responsibility to honour our home, to clean it up and do right by it. Even if we don’t think about it for the rest of the year,
April 22 is International Mother Earth Day.
On this day, let’s do something kind, something worthy, something with integrity for our earth friend. It can be so tiny or so big, but let it be your own ray of hope.
Fifteen things that make us better friends to the earth:
◦ spend a moment in the sun to say thank you
◦ put a hand on a tree
◦ take a photograph in the park
◦ collect 1 piece of litter off the beach
◦ plant things back into the soil, instead of just taking things out
◦ make more conscious decisions about how we treat animals
◦ use less plastic to keep our oceans clean
◦ just don’t chop down that tree in the garden
◦ plant a flower and let it grow
◦ support brands with ethical green values
◦ remember reusable shopping bags
◦ eat less red meat
◦ hang clothes on the line instead of using the dryer
◦ take a reusable coffee cup to the cafe
◦ recycle, even when feeling lazy.
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