“Sometimes, I laugh so hard,
it starts a hurricane in the heavens.
Sometimes, I grin so wide,
it causes earthquakes on distant planets.
And, sometimes, when I feel so happy I could float,
worlds are born, continents rise, and oceans surge.
But never, ever, ever,
do I lay so much as a finger on planet Earth.
Because there, my work is long over,
and yours has just begun.
... Trust me, this barely hints of your true power….”
The Universe*
Today is Earth Day and, to me, this quote is apropos to its significance. I’m not going to lecture you on recycling, driving a smaller car or wearing a bicycle helmet. Rather I’m going to talk about something even more important to the future of our Earth – each of us as individuals.
For me the key lines in this quote are “But never, ever, ever, do I lay so much as a finger on planet Earth. Because there, my work is long over, and yours has just begun.”
Where do we start doing that work? Being kind to others? Yes. Being kind to animals? Yes. Planting trees? Yes. However, before we can do that we must first take care of ourselves.
“But…but…but….” you say. I say there are no “buts.” We MUST take care of ourselves first. How can we raise compassionate, responsible children if we do not treat ourselves compassionately and responsibly? How can we treat other people and animals kindly if we don’t do the same for ourselves.
We must take time to relax.
We must stop and watch a sunset.
We must watch a movie that makes us laugh until we cry.
Only by taking care of ourselves first can we take adequate care of those for whom we are responsible. We must be sure that we are strong, healthy and well rested in order to provide for those we love and by extension our community and our Earth.
Enough lecture. I hope your Earth Day is beautiful and happy and that you smile all day.
© by Sharon D. Dillon, April 21, 2015
*TUT – A Note from the Universe, April 20, 2015, aka Mike Dooley, www.tut.com
Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me “Laugh your way to peace, love and joy”
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com
Laugh your way to peace, love and joy 