Mother Earth (reflection)
I was walking along the beach
one winter day. Looking down,
I saw a wave push a feather up on
the sand. It was a sea gull feather
stained with oil. I picked it up and
felt the dark slick film on my fingers.
I couldn't help wondering if the bird
had survived. Was it all right out
there? ...I knew it wasn't.
I felt sad to think how carlessly
we treat our home. The earth we
all share is not just a rock tossed
through space but a living,
nurturing being.
She cares for us; she deserves our
care in return. We've been treating
Mother Earth the way some people
treat a rental apartment. Just trash
it and move on.
But there's no place to move on
now. We have bought our garbage
and our wars and our racism to every
part of the world.
We must begin to clean her up,
and that means cleaning up our own
hearts and minds first, because they
lead us to poison our dear plant.
The sooner we change, the easier it
will be to feel our love for Mother
Earth and the love she so freely
gives back to us.
