Sunday, April 24, 2005

Celebrating the Earth- a diatribe by a friend

It seems to me that the supposedly vast differences between certain
conservatives and certain liberals are really abstracts alluding to be
ideology.

I, personally, think that most of "us" are very similar, with very
similar feelings and passions about our place in the world and the
Universe. I think we are "the stuff" of much more consonance than
dissonance. The soul and spirit of who we are, whether it's based in
religious or philosophical ideals, is very much the same. The
politicians use the polarity of ideological abstracts to separate us.
Divide and conquer. That way, they get their selfish agenda supported
and accomplished - and we get shite.

Most of us are not really "conservative" or "liberal." We're an amalgam
of both. We're not Red or Blue - we're a nice "Purple" - philosophically
and color-wise. We probably can't help it. But the general consensus
is that "Conservatives" (the actual "people," rather than the
politicians), try to hold on to the past. They don't like change.
Conservatives are happy when everyone looks and acts like them...
anything else makes them uncomfortable. This makes a certain amount of
sense. The world is a scary place. Like Star Trek's "Federation"
inhabitants, Liberals, on the other hand, embrace change and respect
diversity. It may take a serious effort, but truly progressive-thinking
people try to infuse other peoples good ideas into their philosophy and
reality, to expand the boundaries of their personal experiences and
recreate their environment.

This idea of being "Liberal" is not a dirty word... it's something I
aspire to. It's also very "Christian," although certain powers-that-be
would adamantly try to refute that. What they don't want you to know is
that, "Liberal" pertains to "Liberty."

I think we need to think of the differing but according inhabitants of
our soulful sceptred blue jewel as interconnected entities - because we
are. We are all responsible for the way we treat the planet, and the
planet returns, in full, our treatment of it. The ancient idea of the
Earth as our Mother is a wonderful way to create a paradigm for our
interaction with "her." It's too bad we act like ignorant, selfish
stepchildren.

It's hard to refute that the physical nature of who we are comes from
dirt. The spiritual aspect of who we are may come from somewhere, or
some-"thing" else... but I like dirt. Everything grows from this Earth
- whether you believe it's "god's green," or otherwise. The air, the
sky, and everything that exists here, results from what was Earthbound
as the world evolved. This idea should give us a common bond of true
heritage, but most of the time, we're too shortsighted and selfish in
our identities... and most of us don't "dig" that far. But all of this
"Earthboundedness" should never stop us from reaching out as far as we
can. We are of Earth, born... but we are also children of the stars.

As much as we were birthed from what is of this world... the dirt that
created the world is the stuff of stars. This dirt has traversed the
Universe like heartened explorers to uncharted lands... and was created
from this stuff of dust and stars. Certain aspects of our Earth are a
result of transcendent astronomical intensity. Gold, for instance, is
only created in the heart of supernovae. It is a survivor of
inconceivable forces - forces we can only dream of. And we will only
survive if we dream responsibly of our Earthly environment.

We are indeed Star Creatures... and as much as we may be like gold from
the heart of the Universe, we create our world as we see it. So...
"see" a good Earth.

Have a consonant Earth Day... and treat Mom with respect.

peace,
~albabe

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