Happy Earth Day!
Earth Day is one of my favorite days of observation – not yet a holiday, but I bet there’s a Hallmark card for it!
This Earth is our home and our mother. It provides us with so much beauty! Our hearts are made to marvel at the majesty of the mountains, the grandeur of the trees, the vastness of the oceans, the mysteries of the stars… We are the loved and the lover for each other.
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And she provides us with sustenance, shelter, air, water, and many opportunities for living, loving and learning.
Even the not-so-beautiful gives us opportunities to know the Essence within us. In the beauty, it’s easy to see the Divine. When we see the contrast, in missing the beauty we experience the yearning for love and connection. The yearning pulls us in like a tractor beam, drawing us home to the knowing of The One.
I recently hosted a teleclass with a teacher of Sufism, Dr. Amany Shalaby, who spoke about nature as God’s sign language. The Earth is filled with reflections of the Divine Essence – everywhere we look.
Observe the wonders as they occur around you.
Don’t claim them. Feel the artistry
moving through, and be silent.
The Earth is a teacher for us, filled with countless opportunities to know ourselves and the Divine Essence we carry in our hearts.
We humans have been given free will, strength and power. With these gifts comes great responsibility. We are here to live in harmony with all of nature and to be stewards of this homeland.
This is a day to celebrate the Mother Earth and to return the love and beauty she shares with us simply through the nature of her being.
What’s the best way to show love and respect for our Mother? To be present, to give her our attention, to acknowledge her beauty and wisdom, and to accept her unconditionally as she is.
What will you do to honor your Mother today?
Photo credits: © Scanrail | Dreamstime.com © Apinun | Dreamstime.com Rumi poem translated by Coleman Barks
