Earth's Day

Yes, she is having her day. Have you noticed? Eyjafjallajokoll erupted and grounded travelers for five days. No small event. The ripple effect was fascinating. I never knew that so many of the flowers at Whole Foods and Stop and Shop came from Africa. Never thought about it until I saw photos in the paper of boxes and boxes of dying roses in a small African country. With no planes flying, there was no way to make deliveries to Europe and the United States. This past week has been a stark reminder of the breadth of our global economy. We take for granted our ability to have fruits and vegetables year round. There are no seasons in how we eat. We can have raspberries in the darkest winter. Kiwi and persimmons at a moment's notice. Unless the planes are grounded. Then its beets and potatos around here in April. And asparagas.

I'm sure you all have heard stories of people grounded on a vacation or business trip. People waiting for heart transplants were in trouble. Then there was the disconcerting story of Laki Volcano in Iceland which erupted in 1785 and caused widespread famine across Europe when the weather pattern affected the crops. Some attribute that eruption to the start of the French Revolution as so many people were starving. I wondered, could this volcano keep erupting and keep planes grounded for weeks? I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

The main point here is the power of this ever changing and evolving planet. We are beginning to see what it feels like to be very small and powerless in the face of its movements. Tectonic plates silently shift under water and underfoot and eventually the earth quakes. Molten lava stirs below and erupts with great fanfare. Planes are grounded. Rain pours for forty days and forty nights, rivers overflow their banks. Roads are closed.

The earth speaks. It is kind of exciting when we all have to stop and listen. But will we learn anything from all of this? I promise I won't pontificate here. Or maybe I'll get revved up for my next blog entry. Some of the weather changes are due to man made climate change and some are natural occurrences. But it's good to pay attention to the earth. To notice everything. Stop and appreciate a spring day, the first birds, but notice also the awesome power on this life sustaining planet. Be humble. Make efforts to care for the land, the air and the water. With big gestures and small. Happy Earth Day everyone. She had a blast this year!