We are one Earth family.
Every single human being. That robin singing in the tree, echoes of trilling song reverberating against gentler melodies of junco, sparrow, chickadee. Coyote. The soil rich and alive with insect life far below the tall grass; the bag of potting soil that is now the home of parent juncos and their nest with four two-day-old hatchlings. Bear. Eagle soaring overhead.
All of us.
My beloved slugs and snails. Pets. Trees and saltwater. Those with whom we disagree. Those we fear.
Now more than ever we need one another’s stories.
Even the ones that are difficult to bear. Especially the ones that are difficult to understand.
We need the courage to share the truth.
Which requires a willingness to unmask our vulnerability.
We need the open-heartedness to listen deeply.
To commit to listening to what might challenge us at our very core … toward understanding; toward acceptance; toward an absolutely direly-needed, crucial re-integration of ALL of life back into the interconnected nature we all share. ALL of us. All.
And we need to muster again the strength to walk out into the flaming world
Asking questions as antidote to ignorance, seeking the informed experience of others, taking in and holding without judgment …
Joining our voices in unity with our Earth brothers and sisters
BIPOC. White. Of all nations. Of all religions.
To heed the call to which we each are summoned –
Passionate work on behalf of Nature in all its forms – humans, nonhumans, living, deceased, inert, thriving …
And in the direction of
Peace
Unconditional. Equal. Sustainable.
Justice
That does not exclude a single life of us 7B Homo sapiens, nor exclude the “vast and unflinching treasure trove” of every plant, nonhuman animal, insect, rock, water body, air …
Non-violence
Compassion
Love. Acceptance. Gratitude. Care. Generosity. Tenderness. Open-mindedness, open-heartedness.
Nature is a gateway to learning to love: the fragrant rose, the baby seal, wind. Nature teaches how we are unified as residents of this planet.
I find it so easy to love members of my own species … humans in the beautiful cultural, spiritual kaleidoscope that gives life meaning, diversity that adds richness. I see and feel our shared humanity. One species.
Ecological diversity and biological richness are necessary for the survival of the planet. Human diversity in its myriad forms is necessary for the survival of our species. All of us. No one excluded, nobody omitted. Because our very survival is dependent upon one another. We are interdependent.
We are one Earth family.
All blog images created & photographed by Jennifer J. Wilhoit unless otherwise noted. Please circulate images with photo credit: "©2020 Jennifer J. Wilhoit/TEALarbor stories. All Rights Reserved."
