Soon the end of 2021

Happy Belated Christmas! A year without snow. So strange. I actually walked outside yesterday in shorts and barefoot. Granted it was slightly chilly. Yet, Christmas Day in the Midwest walking around barefoot, shorts and tee shirt. Unheard of on the most part. Climate change. Yes. I truly believe our earth has been experiencing climate change for many, many years. It's just now that people seem to be finally listening that this is affecting all. People, animals, plants, everything. I clearly remember the 60's and 70's as youth raised their voices in concern. Yet, we were called names, dismissed as alarmists, arrested for chaining ourselves to trees or bulldozers and so many many more actions to get our message heard. We wanted our voices to be heard. We needed our voices heard.

After my sophomore year of high school I was fortunate to be one of fifty chosen from over 500 applicants hired by the Youth Conservation Corps. I spent that summer working in a State park. My jobs included building a nature trail up a small mountain. Complete with hauling large, natural stepping stones. We used those as retainers to prevent erosion at various places along the trail. In the large lodge parking lot we built a beautiful raised flower garden. Again with natural stone. I learned to test water from small streams, ponds and lakes. To find water in these various forms hold more chemicals and pollution back then than the majority of people even knew was scary. However what's more frightening is what is in not only our water of all forms today but we must include the land. Is it no wonder our earth is basically dying from climate change? People all around the world are experiencing increasing famine in many more countries than ever before. Fauna and Flora are becoming more and more extinct or on the edge of being gone forever. What have we done?

These reflections were brought about because of Christmas. My gift to Mother Earth is to pollute as little as possible. Pick up my trash. Pick up others trash. Recycle. Conserve water. I am not always perfect. I give my best. This holiday season I ask everyone to please do what you can to help save our planet. Even our skies and atmosphere that man has decided to pollute as well. Yes, there is a lot of good going on in the universe. We have great technology because of satellites. We have learned so much from the ISS. But do satellites need to be blown up to scatter junk debris for years to come? Shoot them further into outer space where they will burn up. Leaving no trace. Just like the plans for the upcoming destruction of the ISS within the next few years. It will be propelled further into the atmosphere where it will explode and disintegrate. Gone forever.

I send peace, love and prayers to all as we come to the end of 2021 and welcome 2022. May we all prosper in all that we do. Stay healthy. Make a change to help the environment. Even if it is one small thing.