Learning little-by-little to love our only world on #earthday2017

I am not big into resolutions, although I have a goal to challenge myself to get out of my “comfort zone.”

As I move into summer 2017, I want to promise myself this: appreciate the Earth’s grandeur as Mary Oliver expresses in her poem, Starfish.

We live on a precious planet that while resilient in some respects is constantly being assaulted by our reckless habits.   If you want to see the implications of our uncontrolled growth and demand for more and more things, read this piece in yesterday’s New York Times, Pollution Rising, Chinese Fear for Soil and Food.  If we continue to show little respect or love for our planet, where will we be in the near future?  A world without starfish?

Here is Mary Oliver’s wonderful poem for inspiration to love our planet.  It comes from her book of poetry, Dream Work.

STARFISH

In the sea rocks,

in the stone pockets

under the tide’s lip,

in water dense as blindness

they slid

like sponges,

like too many thumbs.

I knew this, and what I wanted

was to draw my hands back

from the water – what I wanted

was to be willing

to be afraid.

But I stayed there,

I crouched on the stone wall

while the sea poured its harsh song

through the sluices,

while I waited for the gritty lightning

of their touch, while I stared

down through the tide’s leaving

where sometimes I could see them –

their stubborn flesh

lounging on my knuckles.

What good does it do

to lie all day in the sun

loving what is easy?

It never grew easy,

but at last I grew peaceful:

all summer

my fear diminished

as they bloomed through the water

like flowers, like flecks

of an uncertain dream,

while I lay on the rocks, reaching

into the darkness, learning

little by little to love

our only world.

~ by Mary Oliver ~

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Bob Ryshke