Principle #13 of The Order of Ecumenical Franciscans
We shall respect all creatures, animate and inanimate, which “bear the imprint of the Most High; “and we shall strive to move from the temptation of exploiting Creation toward the Franciscan concept of universal kinship.
As Francis taught us to look for the small evidences of God’s work, I marvel at the mysterious patterns of frost on my window. I pick up a rock (some of its elements the same as in my blood stream) streaked with quartz and wonder at its origin likely to be brought 1000 miles south to me with the great heaves of our planet scooping out great gorges of rock and soil.
It’s not unlike the creator labor pains that moved me east from my native Ohio. A long time friend of mine remarked upon visiting at yet another address of mine, “you always live in a beautiful location“.
It’s true. As a nurse shopping in the starter house category, my eyes only light up when I see the poetry of land in a home with a spark of fun included. Currently I live on a hill overlooking the forest beneath and above me. It stretches out to the horizon with not a human made device in sight. The view in the enclosed photo is of the early morning facing west as it awaits the fall rays of the sun.
Besides the usual groundhogs and squirrels I once saw some high tree foliage moving and it turned out to be a bear. When I moved in my chair causing it to snap, I was face to face with her from my balcony. We held eye contact for a good ten seconds with 40 feet of crisp morning air between us and even with this distance I could tell by her head that she was much bigger than me. Having had enough of me, she turned her head and was again invisible and the foliage moving violently as she descended.
Purposefully I live in an apartment, climate wise I can no longer justify a single family dwelling for myself. My heating needs are nil as I share walls, ceiling and floor with my neighbors and I have pulled in a roommate to share my footprint. Overhead, I hear the scampering of their labrador sized cat over my head. I argue with Andrea that, yes, I hear her using her new drum set and no it does not bother me. I wonder if she will ever believe me! I wonder who is making the delicious sauce that I smell in the hallway and I think about preparing something good for myself. Like many decisions based in climate friendly awareness there are unexpected bonuses and I count the interactions of others among them.
The importance of contact with others has never been more important than in these Covid times. A year ago not only the pace of our interpersonal relationships slowed but so did our supply chain. Suddenly our grocery stores had empty shelves and coolers. Baking ingredients and cuts of meat were in short supply. Smaller stores needed our patronage to keep their doors open. Our skies cleared a little as cars stayed at home. Sometimes we could appreciate the stillness and slowed pace as a hidden gift of the pandemic. I was led to return to a vegan lifestyle, like a peasant I look to see what was in cheap supply and determine to make something good of it.
I was first in my teens when I put started my life as a sometime vegetarian, perhaps in concert with the first Earth Day celebrated in 1970. I was swayed primarily by the argument that animals raised for consumption was a huge use of water supplies, as is the use of processed foods. It continues to be a major reason for my food choices but followed closely by the needless use of animals to satisfy our palate.
What can I do to be good to my earth? At this time I choose to write the politicians to support the giant infrastructure bill that includes deep and wide measures to push our big hearted country into several ecological directions that embrace love for our planet.
I can celebrate Earth Day with a new sign for my window with the words, Stop Buying Things superimposed over a picture of our blue and green planet.
I can sing along with musicians big and small to be good to our planet such as on this link, https://Youtu.be/WqOvgqT-kys
And I can pray with others: We pray for clean air, clean water, and clean soil. We knew the sky, land, and waterways. Teach us how to care for the earth as you desire. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.