How did you honor Earth Day?

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Did you do anything to honor it? It could be as simple as drinking out of recycled wine bottle glasses (as I did this evening). Or maybe you planted some flowers. Did you go without meat today (sure hope so! : ) )? Did you stop to take a deep breath and admire the beauty of the nature around you? I like to contemplate the grace of the cardinals and wrens and mourning doves who visit my bird feeder every day.

I find the moments of purest joy in my life come from communing in some way with nature or natural phenomena. In this crazy hectic world of the 21st century, where we work long hours and get little sleep and worry about the economy and the war, these moments are too few and far between. All of us need to step back a few minutes every day to marvel at the wonder of the world and recognize the critical need to preserve it. Life is too short to ignore the roses or sad facts that gorgeous animals like tigers are facing extinction. Or that our rainforests have been depleted. That overdevelopment and the tearing down of trees have robbed so many birds of homes. That oil spills and overfishing are obliterating life in our oceans. Perhaps if we stole more little moments in our life--taking more hikes in the woods, jogging on the beach, planting flowers and herbs, having a picnic where wild rabbits and deer wander freely--our consciousness would be awakened to the reality that what is precious must be preserved at all costs and that all of us in some way can contribute. Even if all you do is adopt a vegetarian diet, you will make a difference. As with our own bodies, we only get one planet. We owe it to our children and their children to keep it healthy.

Here's to Mother Earth. Long may she live and long may she continue to dazzle us with her wonders.