Eloquence by Guacha, 2009 A.T. Thru-hiker

It's that time of year, when a couple thousand people don backpacks and start hiking the Appalachian Trail at its southern terminus on Springer Mountain in northern Georgia.

Most of them are thru-hikers, who intend to hike the entire length of the A.T., finishing 2175 miles north at Mt. Katahdin in central Maine. For many of us who are non-hikers or past-hikers, it's the time of year to start watching for journal updates from this year's hikers.

This week, I ran across the blog of one of this year's hikers, Guacha. Her April 16th entry is quite an eloquent description of the spiritual aspect of long-distance hiking. It is especially insightful for someone who is just 100 miles into the journey, when a person could still be adjusting to the significant shift from street life to trail life.

I won't attempt to paraphrase, except to say that what she writes is just as applicable to street life, where it may be more difficult but still possible to pull some attention away from "survival thoughts" and notice the glorious gifts of the Universe.

Blessed be!

Does the Planet Really Need Saving?

Today is Earth Day!

It's a day to appreciate and celebrate all of the rich blessings Mother Earth offers us. It's also a day to reaffirm our intention to treat her well.

What caught my eye this week are three simple words, words I've seen a hundred times, but never really thought about before.

Save The Planet

It's a nice marketing slogan, and perhaps I should leave it at that.

But, does the planet really need saving? If we do nothing to reduce greenhouse gases, to use renewable energy sources, to put fewer toxins into our soils and waters, to put fewer plastics in landfills, etc., is it the planet that is facing peril?

No, I believe Mother Earth will be just fine. Polar caps may melt, land masses may change shape, species may go extinct. But the Planet, She will survive.

I suppose what is really meant by the slogan is Save Our Hides. Because that is what is at stake--human life as we know it.

Even still, unless all land masses are submerged and nobody builds an ark in time, there will be some humans left. And, those folks will certainly reduce greenhouse gases, use renewable energy sources, put fewer toxins into our soils and waters, and put fewer plastics in landfills. Most certainly.

And all will be well. The Planet will be Saved.