We live in a noisy world. A world where the sounds of cars, planes, machines, and devices fill the air, creating a constant background of noise that we have become accustomed to. A world where the sounds of nature, such as the wind, the water, the birds, and the insects, are often drowned out, muted, or silenced by the human-made sounds. A world where we are so busy and distracted by the noise that we fail to hear the earth's cries.
The earth is crying. Crying for our attention, our care, our action. Crying for the damage, the destruction, the devastation that we have inflicted on it. Crying for the climate change, the biodiversity loss, the ecological collapse that we have caused or accelerated. Crying for the suffering, the pain, the death that we have imposed on its creatures and habitats. Crying for the future, the hope, the survival that we have endangered or threatened.
But we are not listening. We are not listening to the earth's music, the music that poet Reginald Vincent Holmes wrote about in his 1955 poem "The Earth Has Music". He said: "The Earth has its music for those who will listen". He meant that the earth has a beautiful and harmonious sound that can be heard by those who pay attention and are mindful. He meant that the earth has a gift, a blessing, a treasure, that can enrich our lives in ways we cannot imagine.
But we are not listening to the earth's music. We are not listening to the sound of nature, the harmony of life, the rhythm of the universe. We are not listening to the song that the earth sings to us every day, every moment, every breath. We are not listening to the song that can heal, inspire, and transform us. We are not listening to the song that can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves and our place in the world. We are not listening to the song that can make us happy.
Instead, we are listening to the deafening din, the din that we have created, the din that we have chosen. We are listening to the noise, the noise that distracts us, the noise that overwhelms us, the noise that numbs us. We are listening to the noise, the noise that isolates us, the noise that alienates us, the noise that divides us. We are listening to the noise, the noise that harms us, the noise that hurts us, the noise that kills us.
We are ignoring the earth's cries.
Why are we doing this? Why are we ignoring the earth's cries? Why are we choosing the deafening din over the earth's music?
There are many possible reasons, such as:
• We are unaware. We are unaware of the earth's cries, because we are too busy, too noisy, too distracted, to notice them. We are unaware of the earth's music, because we are too used, too adapted, too indifferent, to hear it. We are unaware of the consequences, because we are too short-sighted, too optimistic, too ignorant, to foresee them.
• We are afraid. We are afraid of the earth's cries, because they are too loud, too alarming, too disturbing, to face them. We are afraid of the earth's music, because it is too quiet, too subtle, too challenging, to follow it. We are afraid of the changes, because they are too big, too radical, too uncertain, to embrace them.
• We are selfish. We are selfish about the earth's cries, because we are too greedy, too wasteful, too careless, to care about them. We are selfish about the earth's music, because we are too proud, too arrogant, too stubborn, to learn from it. We are selfish about the benefits, because we are too entitled, too privileged, too biased, to share them.
These are some of the reasons why we are ignoring the earth's cries. But they are not good reasons. They are not valid reasons. They are not acceptable reasons.
They are not good reasons, because they are based on false assumptions, flawed logic, or faulty evidence. They are not valid reasons, because they are contradicted by facts, science, or reality. They are not acceptable reasons, because they are unethical, immoral, or irresponsible.
We have no good reason, no valid reason, no acceptable reason, to ignore the earth's cries.
We have every reason, every good reason, every valid reason, every acceptable reason, to listen to the earth's music.
How can we do this? How can we listen to the earth's music? How can we stop ignoring the earth's cries?
There are many possible ways, such as:
• We can be mindful. We can be mindful of the earth's cries, by paying attention, being aware, and being alert to them. We can be mindful of the earth's music, by listening, being present, and being attentive to it. We can be mindful of the actions, by being intentional, being conscious, and being responsible for them.
• We can be compassionate. We can be compassionate towards the earth's cries, by caring, being empathetic, and being supportive of them. We can be compassionate towards the earth's music, by appreciating, being grateful, and being respectful of it. We can be compassionate towards the others, by being kind, being generous, and being cooperative with them.
• We can be creative. We can be creative about the earth's cries, by finding, being innovative, and being solutions-oriented for them. We can be creative about the earth's music, by exploring, being curious, and being inspired by it. We can be creative about the opportunities, by seizing, being proactive, and being optimistic about them.
These are some of the ways that we can listen to the earth's music. But they are not the only ways. They are not the best ways. They are not the perfect ways.
They are just some ways, some possible ways, some potential ways, that we can try, that we can experiment, that we can improve.
The important thing is that we start, that we start somewhere, that we start now.
The important thing is that we listen, that we listen to the earth's music, that we listen to the earth's cries.
The important thing is that we act, that we act on the earth's music, that we act on the earth's cries.
For the earth is crying, and we are not listening.
But we can change that. We can change ourselves. We can change the world.
We can listen to the earth's music, and we can make it our music.
We can listen to the earth's cries, and we can make them our cries.
We can listen to the earth, and we can make it our home.
For in the music of the earth, we will find everything we need, everything we want, everything we are.
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