I believe in the planet earth. That this is an extraordinary world in which we inhabit and that provides us with the natural resources necessary for survival. The planet: one of millions in the galaxy, and a galaxy of millions in the universe. A growing and complex place that we need in order to exist.
This summer while traveling in New Zealand I saw some of the most spectacular sights imaginable: fields of cattle grazing, next to the rolling waves of crystal blue water, with snow-capped mountains in the background. One evening in the farm town of Pio Pio I sat outside enjoying the crisp clean air. It was immensely dark, there were no streetlights, or houses around, no artificial light at all. Surrounded by hills lined with grass for miles, I felt free; I was amidst something bigger than myself. I had never seen the sky so densely populated with stars. This was nature at its best. Nobody was interrupting or damaging it, everything felt right.
I have always loved watching the sunrise and set, the clouds pass overhead, and the waves crash onto a beach, and I was always interested in nature, just not fascinated with it. My parents would take me on hikes, and road trips to beautiful places. I just went through the motions, never really appreciating each place for its individual beauty.
Coming back to such a polluted, busy, money driven country was almost heartbreaking for me. However, during the ride home from JFK airport, on the Whitestone Bridge, I could see the sun rise over the sound and I realized you don’t need to travel to see the world as a beautiful place. One simply must appreciate things such as the glowing orange sun rising over the deep blue Long Island Sound, a crystal clear day where the sun seems to give a kind of warmth to the world, or snow trickling down out of the thick gray water-filled clouds.
There are so many beautiful things that this earth has to offer us. However, it’s whether or not one chooses to see the world with the appreciation that it truly deserves. I believe in this planet, and that it really is a beautiful world.