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The earth spoke to me the other day. It told me of its stories. She spoke to me( yes indeed for the skeptics, mother earth truly is mother earth) , and asked me to share her story. Thus, I am doing as she wishes. I am telling you her story. But mother earth has also requested one more item, she asks that you learn from this story and that you share this with others, so that all of her children shall learn. Now I will tell you the same tale she told me, pass it on.



“You my child, are young, you have lived through much yet so little. Child I could not even begin to explain things that you have never seen and could never understand, you would take you last breath before I could even tell you of the establishment of humankind. It is a peculiar word, humankind, is it not? I do fully understand the human part for that is the name I gave to you. It is the kind part seems to get lost, more so with each hateful word that is spoken in my midst. Any way, back on topic then. You are given a chance to know things. Thing that you cannot truly understand the full effect of. You did not see it with your own eyes. You did not hear it with your own ears. You did not feel it with your own heart. You did not taste it with your own mouth. You did not smell it with you own nose. You did not weep, whether rejoicing or somber, you did not cry with your own tears.” She spoke these words to me in her raspy, quiet, singsongy voice, comforting me with every note she spoke.



She continued on with her tale, her voice never faltering but staying strong and kind. “This is not which of I need you to know of, I need you to learn of what you know because of you, not a book, not a television, nor newspaper nor any other source. One thing you must understand is that there is a significant difference between knowing and learning. Knowing is what and when but learning, learning is far beyond words. Part of learning is knowing, part is understanding, and other parts you must discover yourself for yourself. Nevertheless, I will tell you one sentiment that will help you, learning is associated to why, who and sometimes how (among others). Oh, dear off topic again.



“So… what were we speaking of? Ah, yes, the tale of what I need you to learn. I need you to learn what you have seen. Well then, now that you know what I need you to learn, I can tell my chronicle.”



It was astounding. I was no longer on my backyard swing with its fading kelly green canopy and age stained seat. There was no more familiar creaking of the old springs, or the ideal smell of the summer breeze and a new book. I was no longer in my own vista. Where I was, I knew not. This new situate had amazing qualities that do not even have names to my knowledge. The golden suns rays comforted me with warmth and light. There were trees, elegantly tall with their beautiful shades of greens browns reds and yellows. I could smell these mighty beasts casting their sent down to me. The land beneath me was damp and smooth with the foliage of summer. And I could hear the birds, their gay twitter suffused the forest. Every thing was faultlessly comforting and mystical.



Suddenly Mother Earths’ voice chimed in again. “All have trodden on me as I have made it. The pitter-patter of paws, feet and claws soothe me. I love to feel the soles of feet gently tap me as they move along on their way or the wheals of a horse and buggy carrying my inhabitants. But, now there is more. You have created something that you appear to rely upon. Your automobiles, your cars, your trucks, vans, and SUV’s. They destroy me; they choke my air, and my children. They cause my children pain, and in turn cause me pain, you have covered me up to make room for them, encased me in an unbreakable bond. Do I have that little importance to you? Do you care that little?”



“I see every thing you do, every move you make, and every thought you think. I notice how a word that is happiness, contentment, and bliss strikes anger and fear into many of you. You yourselves have created it that way, that when you hear the word gay you no longer think of happiness but homosexuality. And you teach your children this, you do not allow them to grow up with a word of goodness. Why?”



“I have also witnessed many hearts drop at the mention of the country Iraq. This started many years ago, shortly after the birth of Generation Y. One group of my people felt they had a right to fight for the safety of another, so they did but the fear grew drastically about 10 years when some of my children deliberately hurt others of mine. Those that were attacked decided to fight back, they did, and they still are. But they are not the only ones fighting. There is fighting in many places. Each and every day I see explosives on one of my child’s’ backs or in their hands or on their hip in their shoe, any where. I see guns and knives in the hand of children who have not even lived until their sixth year. Her dark brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail with an old tattered orange elastic, his eyes sparkling with innocence and longing. I myself have watched as students are punished because they have a plastic fork in their lunch pail. “



“Why do you separate yourselves? Why are people who have done nothing but be born hated, punished, or killed? You are all my children, all my loves. “



“There are many places that have come to be that smell so clean and sanitary it brings chills down the spine. These are the places that some of my children must live in. these are also the places that many of my children die in. They die of diseases that can do not have a definite cure or preventative, not all can survive. But many do. I see many, many parents their eyes filled with tears because their child has an illness that is killing them .I watch them, as they must tell their child if they are old enough to understand. However I am also privileged enough to see happier moments. One day I was watching a young woman of the age fifteen drawing a picture of the world outside her window where she has not been in years. She used to have long golden hair that shined with youthfulness, but it has all fallen out because of the medications she is administered kill both unhealthy and healthy cells be cause they do not know the difference, none of it remains. The door clicks open and her physician walks in with a grin reaching from ear to ear across his unshaven face. The doctor walked towards the girl and her parents to tell them the best news that could have been delivered at any tine, the girl was cancer free. Suddenly she shrieked with excitement and threw her hands up in the air spewing her art work to the floor adding color to its white disposition. Though many of my children are treated for their illnesses many are not, there are diseases that can not be stopped only prolonged or stunted but many can not receive the medications that may save them. Again I ask you why”



“I have seen more terrible things in the lifetime of those who are still living then those of you preceders. Some of this sadness is ‘natural’ while others are initiated. One September day when the sky was clear disaster pierced the peace. A building was struck by an airplane and began to crumble towards me, as if they were coming to welcome me, to thank me. But no this building was falling in despair, it could no longer withstand. Minutes later another building came to me also, again in despair. Throuought the time my children were running down to me, I could feel every footstep, it seemed that there were a thunderstorm, but there was no thunder. Ashen smoke filed my once clear sky and choked me. Burning heat scorched me. Toxic jet fumes prickled my nose with its horrendous smell. The salty tears of my children fell upon me each one heavier then the next. I could hear my children screaming out to one another, others asking what they could do. And I do not understand how it all happened because people are different.”



“One of the worst tragedies you have ever seen was only thirty-four days from the day I am speaking this. I did not know what had happened at first nor did any of my children. That day started like all others and then I shook. I shake sometimes and I do not know why, but I have an idea. Finally the shaking stopped. My waves were lapping in as always greeting me with a gentle kiss before flowing back out to sea. The waves gently got larger. I saw a wave that must have been of twenty feet in height I was elated I did not only see the wave I saw my people. They were coming to at long last coming to thank me and come to my open arms, but as the wave of people came nearer I realized that my children were not coming to me in joy but in anger. The wave of water killed many and its effects still will, but the wave of anger was not destroyed only forgotten as all of my children came together to help one another. Maybe it is not always what happened but what happened because of it.”



“But fear not child no matter haw many tragedies there are evil will never overshadow good. Daily, people receive good news. Every day lives are saved. All the time strangers are kind to one another. Children play together and parents forget differences. An achievement is celebrated almost every second,. Each day children are born. And every day is an opportunity to make today better then yesterday, and yesterday the best day of your life.



“Many people have walked upon me, great leaders as well as great followers. I have felt the cold soles of the boots of soldiers and the bare feet of children many in homelessness. I can tell you every move that Edgar Allen Poe made or that of Mahatma Gandhi. But I can also tell you the hopes of Sarah a future writer, and Mark a future leader, and Abdulla a father. I can tell you the story of Naralika , a young girl with long black hair who caries a rainbow striped blanket that has been in her family for hundreds of years with her everywhere she goes.”

There is much much more that has happen in your lifetime, in your backyard and around the world, that you will never know. I am sorry for that. I cannot control every thing. I wish I could but I cannot. Each day there will be evil and sadness but remember that each day there will also be good and happiness. Sometimes time will pass slowly, that is only a sign that all is well. All ways hope all ways dream, all ways help, and all ways care. I ask these four things of you. I want all of my children to get along; I want everyone to live peacefully, to be happy. But I can not change the world only you can. My children do not be like the towers and crumble. Do not be angry like the wave of water or forgotten like the wave of man, be heard.”



And with this she left me. I was once again in my yard. I now long for the forest Mother Earth took me to, but I can not find it. There was such peace there. I truly felt at home. But what is home? What are we? We are a family. We should care for, look after one another, and never let a brother become hungry or a sister cold. We must act as we know we should. Whether the world is falling down around you or a miracle is taking place know that you are not alone in your sadness nor your joy. Brother, Sister, good night for now and may tomorrow be better then today, and today the best day of your life.