Saving the Scenery and Species
Happy Earth Day, my fellow
Earthlings! Today, I spent quite a few hours in the car, driving to pick up one
of my fabulous nieces and bring her home with me for the rest of the week. She’s
volunteering as a counselor at my school’s Outdoor School program for our 5th
graders. As I drove up, I kept thinking about how absolutely gorgeous this
state is, and how lucky I am to live here (I’m in Oregon, USA). I didn’t think
that when I was dealing with some…special…drivers in the middle of a downpour, but
I thought it otherwise! J
Keeping with the S theme for today and the fact that today is honored as Earth Day
(though I am one of those who considers every day I’m alive Earth Day – when I’m
dead, I don’t care so much?), so let’s talk about Saving – the Scenery and
Species.
When I was in high school, I went
on a trip with a youth group. We went to San Francisco, and the surrounding
area, each year doing some things just a bit differently than the year before.
One of my favorite bits was the year we went to Marine World Africa USA. I am
not as fond of zoos and other places like that when they don’t provide the
animals they are supposed to be saving with enough room and such, but this
place looked good, and the animals looked happy. At the entrance to either the
park or an attraction, I saw a sign with a quote that has followed me ever
since.
In the end, we will save only what we love,
We will love only what we know,
We will know only what we have been taught.
~Anonymous
This is one of my favorite quotes – so thanks, Anonymous! It’s true
that we work to save what we love, we love what we know, and we know what we have
been taught – by teachers, parents, society, our randomly sprouted interests, a
book, a beautiful sunset or picture of some place. Anything can and does teach
us. Many of those things will teach us to love something, and that will help us
when it comes to saving what is important to each of us. I won’t go near religious stuff right now – I
could so easily start a debate on some of those topics, simply because I love
to see how people reason, but I’d rather not start a fight – but I will say
this: this is our planet. I truly believe it is not handed down to us by our
ancestors, but is rather on loan to us from future generations. In my heart of
hearts I know that it is my responsibility – and my honor – to do what I can to
leave a better place than what currently exists for my nieces and nephews and
their kids and kids’ kids, etc. There
are so many Species that are going extinct, and by human hands and/or actions
(or lack of action). The Scenery is gorgeous, but can be made better – if not
here, than somewhere in the world.
What we do in our own lives can truly affect what happens to this
entire world. I’m hopeful that we will, as a society of human beings, choose to
Save the Scenery and the Species of this world. Maybe we’ll end up saving our
own Species in the process.
Thanks for your time,
J
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