We are all people of the Earth.
I remember on a trip to Italy, we went to dinner in a small town. This town was a walled city so we parked outside and walked the many steps to get into the city. The minute we stepped inside I saw an older gentleman sweeping and as I looked around I marveled at the cleanest streets I’ve ever seen in my life. I will never forget the care this gentleman took of his town.
Fast forward to 3 weeks ago when I volunteered with some friends in the city and I marveled at the level of garbage strewn on the streets and yards. I was saddened by what I saw as such a lack of care for this town and our earth in general.
As we celebrate earth week, it is a reminder to me that I can participate in keeping my town, and the places I venture to, clean, by respecting and loving the ground I am blessed to be walking on. I know that each of us can make small steps that lead to a greater good.
“No matter what world we live in now, we are all people of the earth, connected to one another by our mutual humanity.” Angeles Arrien
In doing research for this newsletter, I went again to Joyce Rupp's book, “Boundless Compassion” where she spends a week on being a compassionate steward of the earth, and she wrote about this amazing artist, Sister Mary Southard, who resides at the Congregation of St. Joseph in La Grange, IL. If you have 8 minutes this week, please enjoy this Youtube video of her paintings and beautiful words.
One of Sister Mary’s favorite quotes from Dostoyevsky, which I share with you this week, says it perfectly.
“In the end, it is beauty that will save the world,” wrote Dostoyevsky, “Love all creation, the whole and every grain of sand in it. Love every leaf and every ray of light. Love the plants. Love the animals. Love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the Divine Mystery in all things. Once you perceive it, you will comprehend it better every day. And you will come, at last, to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”
May we all enjoy the blessings bestowed upon us and while we are here a short time on this earth, leave it a beautiful place for our future generations.
