(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration photo courtesy of GeekPhilosopher.com)My local paper prints a column called Earthweek. As the name suggests, the column tells the stories of the earth in review and most of the stories are not top headliners. They tell about severe weather patterns, earthquakes, and unusual animal behaviors...or at least animal behaviors that we humans tend to think of as unusual.
Whale MourningA whale mourning the death of her calf kept divers at bay who were attempting to retrieve the marine mammal's body on Australia's Gold Coast. The 13-foot baby humpback died after becoming entangled in nets intended to protect swimmers from sharks.
We are seeing more and more evidence of non-human animals having emotional lives and ongoing relationships. In another Earthweek column, monkeys who witnessed a poacher kill one of their troup then toss the body in the river went without eating for several days in order to comb upstream and downstream for the body.
I was so moved by these stories that I had to tell them here. Sharing the earth is not an option. It is a reality--plain and simple. Normally, I like to focus on the positive in this blog. What's positive about these stories? Seeing that we humans are not the only creatures that feel pain. Seeing that the world is bigger than we are and that we can be responsible to it and for it. As I said before, Take Care of What You Love.
We can make a difference. Giving back is part of the human expression.
Share with me the ways you are sharing the earth with non-human creatures...or anything else you are doing to make the world a more peaceful and compassionate place.
8 comments:
Perhaps the single most important thing I do every day is remind myself that one person can make a difference, that my actions count.
I begin everyday with Pema Chadron's words in my heart: Start where you are.
And I remind myself frequently throughout the day, when a co-worker is cranky, when my boss is thoughtless, when people jostle me on the street, and when George Bush claims that killing is right and just, that peace begins with me.
Always.
So, though each act may seem trivial in the larger scheme of waste, greed, and consumption, I continue to recycle, take my reusable cups to Starbucks, buy Fair Trade, in bulk, and from local producers whenever I can, drive less, share rides and pubic trans more, seek and give time and shared experience rather than store-bought gifts, laugh a lot, cry some, work for a company whose mission and business practices are in line with my ethical, moral, and environmental beliefs, and create visions of a world where human beings live in harmony with each other and the Earth.
Thank you, Wanda, for providing a place for people to share our action steps. And thank you for sharing the story of the humpback whale.
You are welcome. And thanks for all that you do.
For those of you who have not yet visited the Village of Ordinary, I encourage you to stop by. graceonline is creating a beautifully written account of a place I would like to live.
Wanda Tucker, Coach
Wanda and Grace,
thank you for sharing the Village of Ordinary!
Today I did breathwork, in the form of wet rebirthing (circular breathing through a snorkel while submerged in a hot tub for about 30 minutes), as my contribution to peace. If you've never tried it, I imagine it sounds a bit contrived and unnatural. But it's been a shortcut for bypassing my mind, for stopping thought, and being in a state of allowing, without resistance or control. We've had some amazing miracles show up when we just get out of our own way. I feel so much in need of that connection right now; So I'll be back in the hot tub again tomorrow! See you in paradise.
Blessings!
Susan
Wanda, *thank you* for pointing folks to the Village of Ordinary. I welcome dialogue with any individuals interested in the vision of a peaceful world.
I'm counting on you!
Maggie
We recently watched a National Geographic program about the emotional health of African elephants. Not good. Their natural habitat is being overrun by humans who tear out the native plant growth for farming. The elephants are reacting with violence. It was a frightening piece of journalism, both for the human as well as the animal aspect of the conflict.
We recently watched a National Geographic program about the emotional health of African elephants. Not good. Their natural habitat is being overrun by humans who tear out the native plant growth for farming. The elephants are reacting with violence. It was a frightening piece of journalism, both for the human as well as the animal aspect of the conflict.
Elephants are so intelligent. And they do have emotional lives. If you ever get a chance to see the IMAX movie about them...do.
This story makes my heart ache. Thanks for sharing it. We need to know. We need to be aware.
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