Love Letter To My Planet Earth . . . .
My love affair started when I was eight and laid upon the green grass and willed the clouds into playmates for my thoughts. I wished I told my sky that I wished to be wise. I am not sure I knew what wise meant other than just plain smart.
But then I grew and being part of a large family, I learned to work. But I think I learned that when I was born. I loved my brothers and said when I was just five that I would marry them and take care of them and even promised to polish their saddle shoes for a dime. I weeded around the roses my mother rooted in the ground and covered with tipped mason jars for little greenhouses and tried to keep the chickens in the back yard. I kept the junks separated from the garbage and loved the climbing roses papa planted in the alley behind the garage so that the garbage men had a bright spot as they picked up garbage.
And when we left the city to breathe clean air I marveled as a young girl going to the outdoor privy and stopped at the back door before going up to bed and dipped my heart to blend the night sky to drink of a million stars and wondered how rich could a 12 year old be with the night so private housing so many brothers? And the air circled my pajama legs and I gave thanks to the clean air and promised to be a caretaker of a place I loved. I would dip into my bucket of stars and reach for a nugget and it would translate my efforts and keep me fed.
I would teach everyone to take care of our land because it is our house and we live here. It gives us what we need to live and heals us when we ail and loves us as its children. It is our Mother and we must help her. And now after a lifetime, I am hampered by bones forgetting to bend, muscles forgetting to stretch and a heart that cannot forget how I have loved this parcel of a universe so generous with this gift.
(and her words stay the way with me yet. . . )
Offer me this, the Earth Mother says
that you will raise your arms
only to surround another in love.
Promise me this, again she says,
that the swords will be laid
at the foot of the evergreens now
and a boot will never crush
an Other’s right to live.
And I will forever cherish your children.
12 responses to “My Eternal Love. . . . .my earth. . .”
The silence of the night serenaded by the stars – cherished memories. Thank you for sharing
John, thank you for commenting. My question would be what if we heard the sound of the night sky. . .what if?
Email from Suzanne. . .
And not enough of us have made the promise, which breaks my heart. Yet I feel, like all good mothers, she will still cherish us until her dying breath…even as we have caused it.
Suzanne
Sent from my iPhone
Suzanne. . .at some point we know we need to promise to Earth Mother and keep it. Her lesson would be one I would not wish to learn. Or contemplate the cost. Thank you for your comment.
Email from Jane. . . Very nice and hopeful!! Thank you! I needed that! Love, jane
Jane, I am glad I was able to give that. I get a lot of help in the course of my days. Thank you for telling me.
Email from Joan A. . . . . Dear Ronnie, This is beautiful as usual. Please say HI to your wonderful sons. Love, Joan*
Joan, I appreciate your comments. And my memories are keen and fresh from years as neighbors. Thank you for being in our lives.
Email from Meridith . . .
What lovely words to send to Earth Mother today. We had our own small celebration with crowns! Because as Emma asked “Cause it’s Earth’s birthday?” Why not then? Happy Birthday Mother Earth.
Sending you love. And a beautiful spring. Love you, Merideth
Merideth, How nice for you to celebrate Earth Mother’s birthday! And we need to remind the children always to pick up what would clutter the places we use the most. It helps us to breathe better when we help our Earth Mother! With such love they will cherish her always! Thank you for your words. . .
That is absolutely beautiful, Mother! It is a reminder too that our Earth Mother will continue to love us even when we disrespect her.
i tried to honor her this weekend by planting flowers by my sisters grave and spending this morning cleaning up the neighborhood with a large crew of neighbors.
Love,
Claudia
Claudia, loved that you honored Earth Mother with a clean up crew. I think every sentence should begin with ‘let me help. . .’with whatever the need is. And I am glad you liked the love letter. I have friends in very high places. We all do but I just know mine. . .