When did Earth Day stop being about the Earth?

At 6am on a Saturday, it started with a single tear falling from the corner of my eye. “I am the Lorax and I speak for the trees!” I thought.

On our birthdays, we celebrate our birth. We celebrate ourselves. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Veteran’s Day we celebrate mothers, fathers and veterans, right?  So, when did we stop celebrating and giving back to the Earth on Earth Day?

Some people refer to me as a tree-hugger.  I used to deny it. I was above all of that. After thinking about it, now I wear my Tree-hugger badge proudly. You would never know it by looking at me. I don’t wear the traditional tree-hugger garb. I am cleverly disguised as a yuppie designer chick.  As a young adult, (didn’t think I was young at the time) I lived in Fort Collins, Colorado. I got my degree from Colorado State University, go Rams! Formerly known as the Aggies, CSU is an agricultural school at heart. In college, in Fort Collins, Earth Day seemed to be all about the Earth. Appropriate. And why not be a tree-hugger? Everyone (and everything) needs a hug now and then…don’t you think?

I am a landscape designer by trade and I have been working on a large design that is slated to be installed this summer.  It is an 8 acre Bird Sanctuary in Parker. How wonderful to have the ground-breaking on Earth Day! You would think that getting volunteers on Earth Day to plant trees would be a no-brainer. I guess despite my age, I can be naïve sometimes, still. I have been turned down more than once.  It’s my own fault really. I must not be stressing the fact that, at least in my mind and heart, this isn’t for the neighborhood or the outlying community. As the saying goes, it’s for the birds! It’s for the birds, the butterflies, the bees, the deer, the bats, rabbits and foxes. It’s to put oxygen into the air, it’s habitat, it’s food, it’s shelter, it’s what I consider as truly giving back. It’s about giving back to the Earth, to the true natives of the area, the animals.

Why is it always the animals and environment that gets left out? In times of great catastrophic tragedy, such as Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti, the toll is huge. We collectively stood silent for a moment, in shock of what had just happened. In both of those cases, as many others, the human plight was enormous. And as the shock wore off, we raced to help our fellow man. But, what about the animals? I think it was at least a month after Katrina, if not longer, before I heard anything about the pets and the zoo animals. And what about Haiti? Is it arrogantly American of me to just assume they had pets or other domesticated animals? If it is, I apologize. I have heard nothing of the animals. Domesticated animals rely on humans for food and shelter. They are the ones who know before we do when a natural disaster is about to strike. Their people have been devastated and are unable to help themselves, let alone the animals. It is absolutely imperative, we all agree, that we need to help our fellow man but shouldn’t we also help their animals?

I know, on the surface, I appear to some to be uncaring about people. That’s not the case. My caring and concern goes far deeper and extend to every living thing. That includes the living, breathing planet that we call home. I know that I am not alone in my thinking. Sometimes it just feels that way.

Tree-huggers unite! We are the Lorax and we speak for the trees (and animals)!!

Surviving the Shift

We are all feeling it. You can ignore it, you can make excuses for it or you can acknowledge it. Whatever you choose to do, it is happening. The Earth is being bombarded with energy. Things are changing, consciousness is shifting. Call me a right-wing nut if you like (or left-wing, I can never remember which is which). Even scientists will tell you that the Earth is being bombarded with cosmic energy. Solar flares from the sun, etc. So what? It’s all invisible, how could that possibly affect us? We interact with energy from the sun in many ways; as heat, as light, plants use the sun’s energy as food. Watch the news and you will see people losing their minds, going crazy. They don’t know what’s going on but they feel the chaos. People are angry. They are shooting people, robbing banks, hurting others and themselves. I hear what they are saying. They are saying, “ I don’t know what to do anymore!”, “What’s happening?!”, “ I feel out of control and I can’t take it any more!”. There is a feeling of chaotic energy around. I am an empath which means that I can pick up on the energy of other people. I feel the fear. I feel the chaos. I feel the feeling of being out of control, from others and myself.

under a tree

Nature

I think I have found a solution (well, at least in part). I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers. I haven’t peeked at the back of the book. But, from what I hear from friends, what I see watching the news, and what I feel myself is that…… we need to hold on. Sounds like an impossibly simple answer to something so huge. Yes, I agree. But keep reading, I hope this helps. I mean that sincerely. We have all heard the phrase, “Hang on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Well, that’s what I mean. Imagine we are all on a rollercoaster. You can act brave and throw your hands in the air. You aren’t afraid. That’s great, that’s fun. But, you are also strapped in with a seatbelt or large, stiff bar that keeps you from falling to your death, right? You wouldn’t be letting go if you weren’t. So, let’s strap ourselves in so, instead of screaming like a little girl (no offence to little girls), we can feel secure in throwing our hands in the air because we know that we are safe. We can ride this ride and experience one of the most amazing times in human history!  (I know you feel it!)

Here is the key, the secret, the answer to the million dollar question. We need to stay grounded. Yes, grounded. Again, imagine the Earth is on a wild rollercoaster ride. Now, imagine being in the front row and feeling safe enough to throw your hands in the air. You only do that because you feel secure. That’s how you enjoy the ride. If you felt you would truly, realistically fall out as it turned upside down, how would you feel??  That’s how so many feel right now. Let’s put our seatbelts on.

How does one become ‘grounded’?  Well, that can be different for everyone. Here are some ideas:

  • Meditate – sit somewhere, close your eyes and breathe deeply… clear your mind. It just takes a few minutes; you’ll be amazed at how relaxed you feel afterward.
  • Take a walk- sounds simple, I know. But, being in nature is incredibly soothing and grounding.
  • Sit under a tree on a sunny day- feel the breeze on your cheeks
  • Help someone else- doesn’t it feel good to help others?
  • Hold rocks- whether it’s a rock from a recent vacation spot or a tumbled gemstone, like amethyst, rocks and crystals come from the Earth and have healing /grounding properties

Let’s be grounded and enjoy the ride.

 

 

We are connected

We are connected to this earth, our home. Periodically, it is important to reconnect. I am not talking about religion or your beliefs. Many religions, many cultures throughout time have known this. With all of our technology and ‘advances’, we have forgotten this oh-so-important fact. We are connected to our surroundings because we live here. Here is your neighborhood, your community, your country, but mostly here is planet earth. We will not break her, she will endure. But it is important to us down to the very ancient depths of us. So, reconnect with her.

Did your grandmother grow some of the food she ate? Did your grandfather have an orchard? Did your aunt have a cherished rose garden? What can you do to continue a family tradition?

Reconnect with your surroundings each day, week or month.

  • Change with the seasons. Eat foods that are in season. Did our ancestors eat bananas in winter? It depends on where they lived.
  • Pick flowers from your garden and bring them inside each season. In the winter, bring in twigs or pine cones and make an arrangement.
  • Feed the birds.
  • Plant roses in honor of that favorite relative.
  • In the spring, get your hands dirty! Go out to your garden/yard and play in the dirt. Pull weeds, plant something, spread compost on your flower garden.
  • Share stories that your parents and grandparents told you. Pass on the oral tradition of your family and/or ancestors.
  • Sit outside and view the beauty of nature, even in a rain storm or a cloudy day. It is nature.

It is important for us to stay connected to all that is around us, to put down the cell phone, turn off the TV and go outside.

Enjoy and may the peace of the land be with you.

Copyright © Dandelion by Pexeto