Balance

Every now and again, in one of my reflective moments, I'll think of the stark reality of Earth - everything on Earth must consume other things on Earth to survive. What a set up huh?

With each passing decade we successfully separate ourselves from that reality. One hundred years ago I would be expected to hunt to supplement the family's food supply. There's nothing like having to kill to understand the meaning of survival here on Earth.

Today I only hunt in that cold section of the grocery store. And I like it that way.

So Earth is an environment of competitiveness, a survival of the fittest. I'd say we're winning. We're everywhere.

And I believe if the Earth gets sick of us it will kick us off - earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanos, climate changes, disease . . . cancer.

Our spirituality often draws us to look to the skies, upward to heaven, to the stars and beyond. But don't forget to also look below your feet, to look all around you. This Earth was built as one unit, with a delicate system of balances, which includes us.

If balance is an obviously important value of successful life on Earth than shouldn't we respect that? We look to the heavens for answers to some of our most troubling affairs. Have we already been given the guidance we need in everything around us? Are we missing the clues? Or just ignoring some of stark realities?

I do believe that being good custodians of the planet is part of spiritual awareness.

But as we separate ourselves more and more from the natural realities around us we forget more and more about the significance of balancing all that was created. This also removes us further from our spiritual awareness.

I once knew a woman who worked hard to draw song birds to her backyard. She was successful and soon song birds were enjoying feeders and baths in her yard. One day working in her backyard she watched in horror as an owl glided silently towards a feeder and snatched a small bird swooping it away.

She called a wildlife resource to ask what she could do to get rid of the owl. A local park ranger told her that the owl was there because his food was there. So she could get rid of the owl by getting rid of the song birds she worked so hard to draw.

It's a balancing act.

Some will say, "Let's save the Earth." I say, "Let's save ourselves!"

The Earth can take care of itself. But, if we upset the created balances of Earth, will we be able to take care of ourselves?

So...way too philosophical today. I better take in a little Sponge Bob Square Pants.