Night Of The Earth

I have a choice today:  I can either celebrate the earth in all its mystery and beauty, just for itself, its cascading hills and glorious great waterfalls, its vast and mighty plains, and especially the tiniest of life forms sharing it with me - or I can decry the ruination of so much of this planet, and do what's possible within my limitations to repair that damage.  I can note with awe that this is the only place in our galaxy where life is flourishing visibly and heartily, or I can loudly and without doubt of intention protest the continued paucity of concern in the one species which has affected every other life form on this great, forgiving planet.  There's too many of us.  But nature will see to that, she always does.  When an infection threatens the life of the host body, it is cast out.  I don't want that for my grandchilden's children.  I don't want it for myself.  Or for you.       

In looking at this planet from both ground and sky, it becomes clear that the earth is completely unique, like nothing else we've yet to discover - why?  Because LIFE exists here and in great variety, breathtaking beauty.  Knowing then, that in China people can no longer use the Yellow Sea as it has literally become carcinogenic, I don't think I have the luxury to contemplate and admire anymore; wasted time has forced us into a personal choice - to continue sitting quietly and admire with gratitude this singular realm, our incomprehensible home satellite, or rally voices to ACT upon the ruination we've caused, the ugly future we're leaving as our legacy here, and join our best and brightest minds from all sectors of every science to seek out and develop the answers we sorely need NOW if we're ever to last as a successful species.   We have already sabotaged so much, our only ship in this universe, and we WILL crash.  It's really just a question of how hard we'll go down.  We already know when and where - when is now, where is everywhere.  

However pessimistic this may sound, best look elsewhere for resignation.  The hope I have for human kind is based on the strongest faith imaginable and that is faith in people to eventually do the right thing.  If I can plant a single tree can't thousands re-forest a million acres?  Imagine if we could use that same desire, the same will, the same energy used to tear it all apart to gradually repair the damage?  A superhuman task, and time has become a luxury - yet we can do it, we've already started in many places, many ways.  For instance, for the first time in automotive history, GM sales have come in second to Honda because so many people are buying the air-friendly hybrid they make.  Ingenuity!  Ingenuity is one of the parents that may save us.  The other is action - immediate and focused.   

I would ask of anyone in power who could lobby for a bill setting aside land as federally protected, if a loved one was dying for want of a single medicine, wouldn't they move heaven and earth to get it?  Well that's part of the problem, we've moved the earth around too much - the same medicine that politician would need is found in our rain forests.  Or was. 

So Happy Earth Day To All - if only because we have no where else to go.