This is the beginning of the end. For decades now, the earth has been suffering under the weight of man’s ambition. The creatures of the earth cry with her too, desperate for our help. Even as I walk among the tranquility of the forests, I hear whispers of pain from the earth. Under the age of the Anthropocene, few speak the language of the trees; and even fewer answer their call. The world is in dire need of a powerful reimagining of a green and life-giving future. A future of sustainability— one in which humanity is less dominating and more reverent to all life on earth.
Ever since early humans have created large scale civilizations, humanity has been severed from its connection to the earth. This disunion from the earth has led us down a destructive and ignorant path of greed. Until we can give up our harmful ways of life, we cannot truly reintegrate into nature as a whole. Many have found this reconnection through permaculture; the ways of indigenous people, ancient religions, and the rediscovery of our old ways of life. Thus, the first step to healing the pain is to reconnect with Mother Earth.
I have only just begun down my own path of reconnection. My journey took off in Philmont, a two-week backpacking trip in the backcountry of the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico. It was my first time living almost entirely dependant on Mother Nature for such an extended amount of time. And while it was a mere two weeks, it has had one of the most lasting impacts on my life. My experiences in Philmont completely opened my mind to new thoughts and my heart to new rushes of warmth. Beforehand, I observed the earth simply as a pretty resource; a means by which man profited on its raw goods and material wealth. But now I feel grounded to the earth like never before because I realize my role as a creature of the earth—not just a hungry pillager.
I continue to gather insight into deeper connections one can have with the earth. For instance, I have discovered life protecting foundations such as FOR THE WILD, I have sought out earthbound religions, and I have become more aware of my environmental footprint. After extensive research, I have also found countless ways to live a green life through conscious self-awareness of waste and consumption. And still, I continue on my quest to become a true “tree hugger” and look for ways I can connect with others as we uncover our common roots in the earth.
Through this process, I have discovered that it is my passion to protect the wilderness we have left, and to be the voice of the earth and her creatures. We owe it to them to fight for lasting and meaningful regeneration. We stand before the threshold of change. It is here that we are called to reimagine our relation to the earth, the land, and all of her wild beasts. We must reduce our materialistic greed as humans in order to increase our ecological wisdom. Our future is sustainability. A future in which humans learn to speak the language of all life on earth, and answer their call.