Earth Day is typically filled with calls to action: buy less; recycle more; clean up your local park; call your representatives; join a protest; give to an earth-focused organization (like Circlewood).
Calls to action are good and necessary, though I wonder about the potential downside of setting up one day (or one month) as the time for action. This is the thinking behind a slogan you have probably encountered: "Every Day is Earth Day." If we understand our call, as ecological disciples, to partner with God in bringing healing, restoration, and renewal to the earth every day, then Earth Day can become an invitation to pause and remember that the world is a beautiful and amazing gift, full of wonder and a wellspring of joy.
I am not going to tell you what to do this Earth Day. If you have an action plan, go for it! But I will invite you to do two things:
- Watch our 3-minute meditation video below. It's full of pictures from Circlewood supporters and friends that invite us to see the wonder and joy that surrounds us each day. The poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote that "Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes."
- Take 10-20 minutes to take in the wonder and joy around you, wherever you are today. Open your eyes and ears. Take in a deep breath of air. Give thanks.
Calls to action will come. There is so much work to do, in fact, that we need to ground our action in the grace and beauty of the world, and its creator, to persevere.
With you on the Way,
James