I love this quote from David Suzuki.
“The way we see the world shapes the way we treat it. If a mountain is a deity, not a pile of ore; if a river is one of the veins of the land, not potential irrigation water; if a forest is a sacred grove, not timber; if other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity -- then we will treat each other with greater respect. Thus is the challenge, to look at the world from a different perspective.”
It really reminds me of a spiritual leader who used to say ‘if you can do nothing else, straighten your shoes.’ To me she was pointing at the truth that the way we treat things reflects how we feel about the world and in turn about ourselves as part of that world. When you treat tangible objects with love and respect it not only reflects your internal feelings, it also generates them.
This is why I love the practice of bowing so much. I often say in my life outside work ‘bow to it.’ That sense of being with things as they are, and finding the beauty, joy and learning in them is a core one for me. So, here’s to a weekend filled with the sanctity of life and nature. Have a good one.
