Ecocentricity Blog: a Thank You Letter

Dear Momma Earth,

I know, I know. I haven’t written to you in a while. And I’m so sorry I’m writing to you this week, when everyone is saying “thanks.” I shouldn’t need Thanksgiving to remind me to be grateful to you, someone who has given and taught me so much! I hope you’ll forgive me, and that these words will still earn a smile or two.

Momma E., from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I simply don’t deserve all of your gifts. First is your gracious hospitality. I feel so welcome every time I pay you a visit, and I know that your door is always open to me. Sitting next to your flowing streams and walking through your woods, I escape the busyness of my typical day. I treasure that tranquility more than I can express to you.

I experience your generosity every single day in the food and water you freely give. Your culinary skills in particular are where you shine! What a wonder that I can taste of your almonds on the same day I enjoy the sweetness of your strawberries. I simultaneously owe you for my good health and my good cheer.   As I’ve grown, I’ve realized how much I value your beauty. Whether beholding your setting sun into a deep blue sea, a lightning storm dancing in the heavens, or the brilliant white of your snow-capped mountains, I find in this beauty an inherent goodness. Without a hint of pride or conceit in your character, you invite me to stare at your artistry in wonder. I am blessed to have eyes with which I can do so.   Lastly, I must thank you for your patience and forgiveness. I do not appreciate you as I should, and I know that I often hurt you. As if brushing crumbs under a rug, I pour waste into the landfills that have been carved out of your home. I benefit from the daily combustion of fuel sources that you’ve been storing for tens of millions of years. At times I forget that your gifts aren’t just for me, but for billions of others both living and still to come.   I hope your Thanksgiving is a blessed one. Thank you for all that you do for me and everyone I love! Sincerely,