Living WITH The Earth

Living on the earth is easy, we all do it without giving much thought to it. But how about living with the earth?

We’ve been blessed with a beautiful planet that, if treated properly in order to give nature a chance to do things the way they were intended, would provide for all of our basic needs; there would be enough nutritious food, clean water and shelter for everybody.

But we don’t.

Most of us choose to just live on the planet instead of living in harmony with it. We no longer follow the natural cycles of life, whether that’s our own lives or those found in everything natural that surrounds us. We’ve built a society where living in peace and harmony with the earth is actually the more difficult option, but surely it should be the easiest and most natural thing to do? Shouldn’t understanding nature’s cycles, including the natural cycles of our own bodies, be instinctive or at least learned through the generations so that we ‘just know’ rather than something we have to teach ourselves and strive to achieve? Shouldn’t respect for the environment be an established standard rather than something we need to reminded of? Shouldn’t we naturally prefer food that’s free from chemicals and toxins and from livestock that’s treated humanely rather than weighing up what’s best for the earth and everything that’s a natural part of it against what’s cheapest for us?

Many hundreds of years ago people lived in closer harmony with the earth but eventually man became materialistic. Once that happened, there was no stopping us and these days, those of us who still try to live as natural a life as we can, and who truly care about the environment and want to preserve this beautiful planet are still all too often seen as ‘a bit weird’. I’ve been called a new age hippie, a tree hugger, an old witch, an eco-warrior, and a green trendy and while I suppose I’m all of those things in differing degrees (except green trendy - there’s nothing trendy about me), they’ve been said in a derogatory manner as if caring about our environment is wrong!

We can’t hide behind ignorance. We all KNOW how important it is to care for this planet and yet so many still do far less than they‘re able, if they actually do anything at all.

Why?

Sharon J xx

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2009 - Wishing You Peace

I think we all agree that it would be far better if there were peace on earth instead of the myriad wars that are being fought across the globe but one thing I’m certain of is that unless we find peace within ourselves, there will never truly be peace on a world-wide or even local basis.

You don’t have to go far before you see people using threatening behaviour. Sometimes I guess they do it because the person they’re threatening just isn’t able to see sense through any other means but mostly I think it’s down to their own lack of peace within themselves. They’re wound up, feel the world owes them something, that they have more right to something than others have, or that they need to remove a ‘problem’ that’s getting in their way. The problem can, of course, be perceived rather than real, such as in cases where one person punishes another for ‘looking at my bird’ or whatever.

Lack of self confidence, low self esteem, a society that places more value of material worth than on human relationships, they all play their part in creating unrest. I know, because I've been there.

Only when we’re happy with what we have and the path we’ve chosen for ourselves, when we respect the opinions of others without judgement and accept that we must live and let live can we truly feel at peace with the world and those who live in it. It isn't easy, but certainly a goal worth trying to achieve.

I wish you all peace in 2009. True, lasting peace that’s within you and reflects in everything you do.

Sharon J xx

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