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May 18, 2008

"The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." --Henry Miller

13 Ways to Help Heal the Land

Something within us loves the land. Sees gentle hills, undulating dunes, and tooth-like mountaintops bright-lit at dusk and responds with deep delight. And not just to the look of the land, but to the feel of it. How it is to sit on a stony beach or plunge hands into the warm soil of summer. Such practices are essential for our sanity, to tap us into wild currents of energy without which we would wither. Imagine a world without butterflies, without birdsong, without glaciers, snow, and clean water. We need to read and write and think. And then we must act (and, when appropriate, refrain from acting). We must open our eyes and dirty our hands. Get down to earth and humble ourselves. Are we tourists here, or residents? Who owns it? Maybe nobody does. Maybe we all do.