In Gratitude to Mother Earth and All Our Kin

See the beauty of Earth. She her as mother and forever home.

Give joyful, heart-felt thanks to her for giving us the gift of life. She sustains us as a loving mother does. 

Give equal thanks to Sun, Moon, planets, and all the stars. Indeed, it takes a village.

See all the living as older sisters and brothers. All of the plants and animals were here long before we were. They are older and wiser in the ways of life than we humans are. They are patient and generous teachers.

We humans are the youngest of Mother Earth's children and often behave immaturely as the youngest in the family do. We do well to respect and watch and learn from our elder kin.  

Our plant and animal kin do not depend on us in order to live. We depend on all of them. From them we have much to learn. We also have much for which to give thanks to them.

Ah, No Place Like Home

Nature is not something out there I go spend time in. I'm as much a part of nature as everything else. 

It's all nature and nothing but nature as far as I can see. There is nothing above or beyond, nothing supernatural. Even goddesses and gods are part of nature.

Who sold me the lie that I live apart from the rest of nature? Who sold me the lie that my true home is somewhere else or that I can go to a better (or worse) place after I die?

Why did I believe them? Why do others still believe them? 

There is no other place for me to be than here. I'm from here. I live here. I love here. This is my home. 

Home sweet home. Ah, yes, there is no place like home.