I Believe… Keeping a Natural Focus 5

I believe in the natural power and beauty of our humanness and the planet earth, and the need to preserve it for generations to come. 

This amazing planet has provided me with all I have needed to live a healthy life for over 70 years.

Growing up in the English countryside and learning first-hand about the land and how to take care of animals from my Father and Grandfather was taken for granted at the time, but over the years I have realised just how fortunate I was to have access to such fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and milk when so many were denied the luxury.  This, together with my love of animals has remained as fierce a conviction as ever.

As I write this blog, I lift my eyes to gaze through the window to see a huge gum tree laden with clouds of white blossom which are weighing the boughs down.  I know that if I went outside I would hear the sound of millions of bees taking advantage of the bountiful harvest, pollinating the flowers as they go, a wondrous sight and sound. Yet, I also know just a few metres away disease has crept into some trees and they are slowly dying, and further away still trees have been cut down to make way for more housing. Unfortunately, we have been taking and taking from our precious land and not giving enough back, and now I fear we are in crisis and there seems is no easy solution.

Moving forward is so much easier than pulling back and it seems that we are moving forward at such an alarming rate with new information and technologies daily in the spotlight, but often the natural world forgotten in the rush – we forget it will be at our peril.

Our children need reminding that superwoman was not real, and that whilst computers can work all night, human beings cannot – unless we override the natural laws with drugs.  We all have a choice.

Having said this, of course, I do not wish to imply that all technology is bad for us, as clearly it is hugely beneficial in so many areas, particularly for health.  I do, however, want to emphasise the importance of putting our humanity and natural laws first. Many many people are doing this already for themselves and their children; buying produce at local markets, cooking healthy meals, restricting the use of computers and phones, recycling – but many more it seems are not.

A few weeks ago I came across a young mother in a beautiful park dressed in gym clothes, wearing headphones, running at full pelt pushing a baby buggy. As she passed I noticed a dear little child sitting up, staring at an electronic notebook.  I felt so sad that tears came to my eyes, as neither the child nor the Mother were enjoying the scenery or each other – I wondered what the future held for them.

I believe in the natural beauty of our humanness and our planet earth, and I believe this is where we should always return – to listen well to its fullness, to be grateful and to be diligent to take care of each other and our environment.

Val