Earth Day?

Oops, I’ll confess that it slipped my mind it was Earth Day today ~ for me that’s every damn day, and any day I forget that is a sad, lost, and lonesome one. Though being a part of ‘civilization’ doesn’t always make sense to me, being amongst the wild and native beings always gives my senses and soul a feeling of belonging. Everyday human concerns aside, do you know how lucky you are to live upon this beautiful earth? How do you express your gratitude? Though it may sound crazy, I express mine by greeting the creatures I meet along the way ~ “hello robin!” “Hey guys” to the pelicans. “Goodnight gorgeous” to the goose. “Coo coo coo” to the dove… I allow my voice to take on different lilts as I speak, knowing that the words themselves are less important than the feelings they express. And yes, sometimes to the wild things I sing. But I listen just as often, and will respond to their calls perhaps more often than I will initiate with my own. I am truly privileged to be a part of this wild family, and honestly I am still learning to be so in a way that gives a little rather than just taking. Today as a small token I also brought some combings from a sheepskin to place into the weeds in hope that some creature might find them useful for building a nest. For it is that time of year ~ as the pride-puffed redwing blackbirds and quite vocal male chickadees will attest, it’s breeding season! And here we are, humans, wandering, wondering how we can right our relations with each other and the planet, distracting ourselves with petty concerns probably too often, savoring days like this that remind us that we are indeed here on Earth, and somewhere underneath it all feeling the same calls the nesting birds and germinating seeds and pollinating blossoms feel. Under our skin is a deep, sweet mystery, just waiting to teach us, remind us, call us home again. And for me, spending time in the wilds is one of the surest ways I can tune in and hear what it is saying…..