Earth Day turns 50
Today is Earth Day! It’s no mistake that when they conceived of Earth Day 50 years ago, they planned it for the Spring. The season with the most change in the natural world, or at least the most optimistic change. The season of rebirth, renewal, fresh starts.
Earth Day is about reconnecting with the earth. It’s about stirring our activism and educating us about how to take care of the earth we share.
COVID-19 Spring
Because of the COVID-19 Quarantine, I think this may be the most observed Spring on the record books for a century. Even though we are watching mostly through our windows, we are noticing the incremental changes each day. We’ve witnessed barren branches sprouting buds that slowly bloomed into pinks, purples and whites, and seen bold green stems pushing through the dirt. We’ve listened to the call and response of bird songs, much clearer without the sounds of traffic to squelch them. We’ve watched the light of day creep well into the evening. We are comforted by the beauty of nature’s spectacular shows of clouds, rains, winds, even thunder and lightening outside our windows.
The earth continues to tilt and spin, nature continues to burst into color, even as we stay home protecting ourselves, our families and communities.We are all in this together, we are all on earth together. One people, one planet.
Writing Prompt: Creation Story
Celebrate Earth Day with this writing exercise, in which we remember that we are of this earth.
Before freewriting this exercise, take a few minutes to meditate. Come into the body. Relax your muscles. Notice your breath. Let it naturally flow. Then ask yourself, what is my true nature?
Imagine your own creation story. How were you born of earth?
- Did you awake on the seedy bed of a sunflower?
- Did you land on your fresh new feet, released from the embrace of a lush fruit tree?
- Did gleeful dolphins deliver you to the foamy shore?
Take up your pen and write. Have fun! No editing. No judging. Just write.
Let me know where you came from!
Susan Barr-Toman 