LIVING WELL: Earth Day, 50 Years Of Greening The Earth!
This year marks fifty years of celebrating the Earth more consciously. The first Earth Day Celebration I remember, was held at Antrim Park. There was a new bike path around the lake, and booths galore. Simply Living (SL), a local organization, promoted Healing through Wholeness, Greening the Earth then, and more recently: Making Life Good Together. At the time, I wanted to see what they were doing, and my awareness of the planet and all it’s glories and troublse were exposed to me. Going to that event opened my eyes, and I am grateful to SL for that. You can see what they are up to now, sign up to become a member and receive their e-newsletter here:: http://simplyliving.org/
This year, and every year, this day and every day, there is a need to honor the Earth, and this need will continue for all time. Everything we have or own is connected with the gifts of the Earth. Our ancestors knew this, and used resources more wisely. Our air, water, food, clothing and shelter all originate from the land you stand on. What the current shut down situation is displaying, is that without all the travel, commerce and production, the pollution levels are lowering: ALL OVER THE PLANET!
That is exciting! Can we sustain a decrease in activity? This is a time to rethink our lives, our interactions and our longings for deep community. Without the internet, we would be even more isolated, but think back to a time when we naturally lived “sheltered in place”. I want to take you “back to the land of no man’s hand”.
Indigenous tribes of every land mass had knowledge of how to live in harmony with the planet. Simplicity and sharing were key. Nothing was wasted. The Elders were revered for their knowledge and were looked after. Children were loved and guided, and there was a clear sense of belonging., in fact you needed the tribe for survival. For most of their existence, there was enough for all, if managed properly and respectfully. I do not want to glamorize their ways, but this one glance backward in time demonstrates that being connected to the Earth in a respectful manner was the difference between life and death. We are in the same position today.
We cannot go back to that time, as a whole,, but we can choose to be more conscious about the difference between need and want.. What is clearly a human need? What do we need to live?
Clean air, water, and food….health….safety…a feeling of love and belonging.….a sense of place….contentment and purpose for our lives.
Are your needs different than mine?. Each day I have a choice to quiet myself, dig in the dirt, make something from scratch for dinner, read a book, take a hike…things that do not pollute the earth. We are all buying less, and looking more closely at our lives and relationships. Slowing down is necessary, even if it was imposed on us, take advantage of it!.
I am one of the fortunate ones. I have all I need right now. I am grateful. Others are not so fortunate and for that I am saddened. Will this crisis help the world to change for the better, so that all are cared for equally?
It will take time for the bigger organizing forces in our world to take the hint to reduce, recycle and reuse, as we focus on equity and harmony.
Gandhi said “Live simply so that others may simply live”. Wise words for all times.
