Eighth Day

I want you to close your eyes and imagine it is day eight. The very first day eight. You've created the world and you're coming back after the first weekend. Day eight. Close your eyes and view the world you created.

Are there flowers? Water? Is it a lake or an ocean? Is there a waterfall? Are there trees lush and green? Grass that won't ever need cutting and a expansive, cloudless blue sky?

Where's the canyon? You didn't create a canyon? This is why, as often as we play at it, we are not really God. Only God would think to create a canyon and make it as vastly beautiful and breathtaking as that hole in the ground in the place we call Arizona.

Before God (or whomever) created us, he created a place for us to be. We were given a place to plant our feet. We have something firm holding us up while we reach for that which is above us. Hard to imagine we are all on a ball floating in a sky surrounded by a bunch of other balls circling a huge ball of fire and heat.

The same sky and wind that brings a refreshing drizzle can create an awesome tsunami. The heat and light that brings forth our food can also ignite a blaze that with all our technology still takes weeks to bring under control. It works in balance with itself and the time continuum is altered only when man does something to make life easier for ourselves.
The creation of the Earth is the single most awesome thing that ever was.

Before God created us He created a place to put us. A place that we were commanded to take care of because in doing that we would be sustained. God created neither house, sidewalk or street, but a home nonetheless that carries his breath within it. Just like us.

And so we should care for it. We should do what we can to preserve and maintain the first thing God ever created and found good. We may not be able to take ourselves back from the technology we've created - and in truth, none of us want to - but we can be conscious that when we take oil from the earth and replace it with nothing, we have changed the construction of our home. Since we cannot do with it then we should use it efficiently when we drive or heat our homes.

We can all do something to sustain and protect the air, the sky, the sea and the land. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Turn out the lights. Take public transportation a couple times a month. Plant a salad and patronize stores that feature locally grown fruits and veggies. Really, something we do can be altered and done in a way that sustains the earth and doesn't put us out at all.

Earth does not come in generic form. It is our duty and our privilege to take care that the beauty of the first day is there on the last day and that we don't hurry that day along because we did not do what was commanded of us.

Stand in the rain. Hug a tree. Happy Earth Day.