Once was a time when all that we ever needed was provided for us for free. We lived like the buffalo and other animals, taking only what we needed and moving on. There was a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the animals. When the buffalo munched the grasses, it stimulated the grass to grow and the grass was fertilized by the buffalo droppings; so both the buffalo and the grasses benefited in the relationship. The buffalo consumed only about half of the grass in an area before moving on, which allowed the grass to replenish itself. Bears and other animals would arrive at a place where salmon was plentiful at a particular time of the year. They would take their fill and move on, so that the salmon could spawn and ensure plenty for the following year’s cycle. This is the way life on earth was designed. It is cyclic. Everything on, through, and around our planet moves in cycles.
Early humans honored the cycles of life. They lived in gratitude for what was given to them. They took only half of what was provided. At some point though, we became greedy. We developed agriculture and began to take more than our share. We turned the gifts that Mother Nature had provided us for free, into commodities. And we forgot to give thanks.
We have forgotten how to feel reverence for or to show respect for the earth on which we stand. We no longer tread lightly upon the land, but stomp with heavy feet. We put up fences and falsely believe that we own the property we live on. We pollute our water sources and buy and sell billions of plastic bottles filled with water or sugary drinks. We then pollute the earth further by tossing the plastic into landfills and into the oceans. Acres and acres of land are laid waste to build our homes and streets, our soccer fields and golf courses. We have bared millions more acres through tilling, allowing weeds to take over, and rendering the soil devoid of the healthy organisms that once thrived there. Too many people do not even know where their food comes from. Fewer still remember to say grace before their meal. Mealtime itself, has become a hurried affair. We continue to take more than our share. We must start remembering what we have forgotten. We must remember to take only what we need and we must remember to say thank you.
