Earth Month Reflections

By Lia Waldrum

As our small pocket of the planet sheds its winter coolness, slowly, slowly, we are reminded that new, vibrant life has simply been lying in wait beneath these rich soils. It happens every year, yet somehow, it’s as though we are experiencing it for the first time. The golden greens bloom from seemingly lifeless branches and wildflowers begin to ebb and flow like tidal waves up the mountains. It’s a time of rebirth and invigoration. And, just like the trees and insects and the flowers and birds, our human bodies are also experiencing this stirring. This awakening. If you take the time to pause and connect with your being, you can feel it.

It’s a time of fresh energy. A time to sow seeds of intention and bring them to bloom. The perfect moment to recenter our focus on our mother Earth as we watch her gifts spill forth in front of our very eyes. It is the deepest, most aromatic, pollen laden inhale. Happy Earth Month everyone!

Sometimes after emerging from our winter hibernation, the fresh energy we experience can be whisked into a frenzied anxiety. We see everything picking up speed and we are swept up in all of the good intentions, quickly becoming spread thin or burnt out. Including within conservation spaces. A deluge of volunteer opportunities and reminders that plastic is taking over the planet and ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle just about anything you can imagine. And with every good intention we run around putting band aids on as many issues as we can, desperate to make use of our renewed sense of vigor. When really what would serve us, and the planet, is to take a sip of water and move a bit slower.

As we slow down, we become more aware of each action we take and how there is a ripple effect on the web of beings, human and otherwise, surrounding us. This reconnection to self is simple yet profoundly healing. Disconnect leads to decisions centered around convenience which is handed to us by corporations in the form of single-use everything, over packaged ho-has, food grown in place of decimated forests and a general disregard of our place in the natural world. Reconnection looks like spending time in nature, intentional purchases, small acts of healing, bare feet on the ground and building relationships with other beings.

So, take time this month (and every month) to do just that. Find what gives you peace and lean in. Empower yourself by becoming a part of the solution through small acts of healing. Get to know the people, plants, animals, mountains, and streams where you reside. Drink some water and move your body. Celebrate this brief existence in communion with mama Earth. Reconnect.