We humans are the young ones,
the last to be created
long days after the earth, mountains, seas,
and trees.

What might we learn from our elders who
awaken us with birdsong,
feed us with nuts and berries,
comfort us with their soft fur, 
enliven us with colour,
and call us to glorify our maker
by simply being who we are?

Abundance.
Patience.
Solidarity.
Stillness.
Surrender.
Hope.
Resilience.
Transformation.
The interconnectedness of all living things.
Beauty.

Our elders
speak no words 
and yet,
their gospel stories shape our lives,
their gifts keep us alive.
On their backs, we rest.

These wise ones love us well.

How shall we honour our elders
this day and every day
we breathe fresh air,
feel the ground beneath our feet
and open our hands to receive?

Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

∗ ∗ ∗

Love Mischief for the World

John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America, and his son, Ocean, have been working tirelessly for decades to share cutting-edge research and insights on how the earth and all her inhabitants benefit and thrive on a plant-based diet. You can join the Food Revolution Summit on April 23 -30 for free. In 2020, this summit inspired me to be like one of their success stories. And it happened. But more than that, I found a way to honour the sacred bond I have with the earth.

What love mischief are you and God doing for the world?
Let me know and I will include it in an upcoming post.

Credits and References:
“Giant Old Growth tree-Sitka Spruce” by Nick Kenrick. Used with permission.
Mushrooms by Sylvia Sassen. Used with permission
“Chica, my adopted Spanish kitten” by Sylvia Sassen. Used with permission.
“Wheat” by FarbenfroheWunderwelt. Used with permission.
“Got some flowers for the hummingbirds” by Chrissy Wainwright. Used with permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2022.
The unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013-2022.  http://www.estherhizsa.com