Saturday, April 22, 2017

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year



Today is my favorite day of the year -- Earth Day.

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain shower that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

Almost thirty years ago on this day, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day so long ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could be recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished since that day in 1990. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people realize the connections. 

...initially posted in 2010, but still relevant today

Thursday, April 6, 2017

April the pregnant giraffe preparing to give birth is a natural occurance

Watch live streaming video of the happy event!

Just when you think you've heard all the ridiculous things possible, something simply blows your mind.

Giraffe, Zoo, AnimalsThat was the case for me this morning, when I learned that the live-stream of a giraffe preparing to give birth was temporarily removed from You Tube for being "sexually explicit." The live stream from Animal Adventure Park in upstate New York has since resumed as the giraffe, fondly known by millions as April, prepares to give birth to her calf.

What kind of an insane person could consider an animal doing the most natural thing in the world--giving birth--to be harmful to watch because it is sexually explicit?

What is wrong with people?

The stream also contains live comments. Like with all social media, there are jerks that have to try to ruin things for others. Most comments, however, are heartwarming, loving, and caring. Folks began watching, since Feb. 23 when the stream began, in breathless anticipation. It is almost like April has become a family member to many as her pregnancy continues. Watching has become a calming way to start a new day with a cup of freshly brewed coffee, as April is cheered on. Moms and Dads are using the experience as a learning tool for their children. Most who watch are grateful to the park for making the videos available to the public.

There is no doubt April's giving birth, when it happens, will be labeled "Breaking News" and will be mentioned by nearly every media outlet. April, and her companion and father of her calf, Oliver, have certainly become celebrities. 

To anyone that sees this event as anything but the beautiful event it is, seek help.