It’s Earth Day today, a day when as many as a billion people around the world will be taking notice. Some will be celebrating what they love about the world we live in with walks in the woods, picnics with families and friends, neighborhood clean-ups, poetry readings, and just some quiet time outside. Others will be sounding the alarm about threats that could undermine this one earth on which we all live, pointing to climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation, toxic chemicals, and more.
For me, Earth Day is a time to reflect on what I am grateful to Mother Nature for. Here’s my “short list.”
* I’m grateful for the abundance of inspiring flowers and trees that add beauty to the world.
* I’m grateful for the planet’s soul-expanding wild places and the chance they provide to experience Nature in the raw.
* I’m grateful to the Sun and the vital solar energy it sends down to Earth each and every day (now, if only we would take advantage of it!).
* I’m grateful that a planet called “Earth” is actually covered with so much water. We could not survive without it.
* I’m grateful for the community of friends I have and with whom I share a passion for hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors.
* I’m grateful for the network of environmental activists to which I belong, and who magnify my voice when we join together to protect the world we love.
* I’m grateful for the changing seasons and the way they remind me that, when all is said and done, Mother Nature is still in charge.
* I’m grateful for singing birds, chirping crickets, blowing wind, and all the other elements that create a natural soundtrack in my day-to-day world.
* I’m grateful for the power I have to make a difference. As insignificant as it sometimes seems, I know what I do can change my life, help change the lives of others, and contribute to a better legacy for my kids and yours, too.
What are you grateful for? Please share your thoughts and comments!
Happy Earth Day!
As a SAHM who isn’t necessarily using my full intellectual potential on a daily basis, I am loving re-discovering the wonders of nature with my children. My 5-year-old is constantly filling me in with amazing tidbits about whales and sharks and flowers and trees. His questions send us to the library and the Internet to see if anyone has the answer yet. The natural world is a constant source of wonder, beauty, and learning.
It is very lonely when those around you don’t share your same passion. I am grateful for the community of green sisters that have encouraged, supported, and been my friend all these years. Without them (including you) I wouldn’t have progressed in my green journey. *Hugs*
I’m grateful for fresh organic food that doesn’t need seasoning to add flavor, and the smell of coffee every single morning …
Great post. I am especially grateful that Earth Day continues to make people more aware of the problems of the world around them
Thank you all for your comments and insights. With all the work still left to do, it is heartening to be reminded of the good we are doing, the community we share, and the wonder we experience when we’re in Nature.