Today's zaadz.com question of the day threw me for a loop at first, but after I contemplated it for a while, I came up with a response. I'd like to share it with you all and see if any progressive ideas are sparked from it.
April 22, 2007 - What is your relationship to earth?
My response:
After I logged on today, I read aloud today's question for reflection. My younger brother was sitting next to me and he said, 'Uh… it is where I was born and raised…,' in a questioning somewhat sarcastic tone. We joked about the question for a while because everyone is obviously dependent upon the earth. After the punch lines settled down I tried to think truly what my relationship to earth is, but despite my meditation I couldn't come up with a profound response.
So, at a loss of what to say, I decided to agree with Jared, my younger brother, and reply that earth is home, in a broad way.
I currently live in a townhouse with my parents and brother, we are renters currently and not owners. As I was thinking about my relationship to earth I realized it was much like my relationship to this townhouse. I live in it and pay rent, it provides needs that all humans have, but I do not own it. Earth and I share a similar contract- I do not own the earth or any portion of it, but I live on earth while it provides my immediate needs. In return, my rent payment to earth is taking care of it.
For instance, I would not walk out of my door, stand in front of my house and start throwing fire torches at it, nor will I purposely damage earth in any way.
So in response to the question, my relationship to earth is that of a tenant and a landlord. Simple, trusted, and equal.
[ © copyright of above statement belongs to me and only me, do not reuse without my express permission ]
How would you have responded to this question?
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As the hippies would say "That's deep!". No really, that was a pretty good response. I probably would've rambled on about nature and coexistance....something like that.
That's a good response. I would have said, Earth is my sanity. As lame and sappy as it sounds, it's also so very true. No matter what my problem, spending time in nature makes it all seem not quite so bad. There is nothing quite as calming as a quiet moment spent outdoors when one realizes that, in the grand scheme of things, our little problems aren't the be all and end all of the world and that Earth will still be there long after me and my problems are forgotten.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Huxley
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Gandhi
I can dig it. I mean like, is there really a better answer than that? It's simple and at the same time, it might actually seem hard for a lot of people to understand, since a lot of people do tend to hurt the planet on purpose. Maybe to them, money is their home :shrugs:
Interesting perspective; good point. We should be giving something back to the earth, taking care of it...just as you have to pay to maintain your home or pay rent.
~pyrochica
My relationship is that it holds me in its grasp. This gravitational force that keeps me from flying where I want --it is a tryant, I say.
Just kidding. I am here for the time being, but I believe in an afterlife. Some day that Sweet Chariot is going to swing low and carry me home.
For Jews, Christians, and Muslims, this is typically how we view the world:
26And God saith, `Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.'
27And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.
28And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, `Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.'
29And God saith, `Lo, I have given to you every herb sowing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which [is] the fruit of a tree sowing seed, to you it is for food;
30and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to every creeping thing on the earth, in which [is] breath of life, every green herb [is] for food:' and it is so.
31And God seeth all that He hath done, and lo, very good; and there is an evening, and there is a morning -- day the sixth.