The Color of Carrying the World

"She carried an old globe as she walked,

a garage sale find;

carried it as though bearing the earth

but lightly in her hands."

(B. Harder, Random Musings)

I was enjoying coffee with Anna in the Sundre, Alberta cafe one day last summer when I noticed a woman crossing the street. She had a bag in one hand, and in the other she hefted a basketball-sized globe of the earth - the kind we used to have in our elementary classrooms. It was an intriguing image, this woman who walked with purpose, her feet drawn to their destination, and along for the ride... was the whole world.

I've been thinking about this woman and her globe for the last week, pondering the implications of holding the earth lightly in our hands. The image evokes both blessing and indictment. On the one hand we humans have been particularly gifted with innate abilities and tools to bring the earth to marvelous fruition. At our best we tend the earth and its creatures in such a way that all life flourishes. This is blessing.

On the other hand we have chosen lifestyles that take from the earth without giving back. Our level of over, and very much unnecessary, consumption seriously jeopardize the well-being of generations that have not yet been conceived. This is indictment.

“Western civilization is a loaded gun

pointed at the head of this planet.” 

(Terence McKenna)

As a culture we have not only made it acceptable to over-consume, we have made it necessary. Much of our self-image and self-worth are grounded in what we own. In addition, we have created economic systems that depend upon high levels of consumption. To make a living, retail business owners must sell goods - mountains of goods. We the buyers must purchase these goods - and then dispose of them to make room for further consumption.

“The earth will not continue to offer its harvest,

except with faithful stewardship.

We cannot say we love the land

and then take steps to destroy it for use

by future generations.” 

(Pope John Paul II)

Blessing and Indictment. We carry the earth, each of us in our own way. None of us are innocent, none absolutely guilty. We carry the earth - each time we plant a seed and nourish its growth; when we reclaim land disrupted by resource extraction; when we love and care for creatures; when we reduce, reuse, and recycle. We carry the earth in our gratitude, our compassion, and our stewardship.

I see no easy answer to over-consumption in the near future; I too will continue to drive my vehicle, replace broken things in my home, buy clothes, art, tools... but I am aware, when I look at my grandsons, that their children's well-being balances precariously upon my choices.

I leave the last word to scientist, Stephen Jay Gould:

“We have become,

by the power of a glorious evolutionary accident called intelligence,

the stewards of life's continuity on earth.

We did not ask for this role, but we cannot abjure it.

We may not be suited to it,

but here we are.” 

(Stephen Jay Gould, The Flamingo's Smile: Reflections in Natural History)

The color of carrying the world...

obligation and opportunity.

A stranger

handed me a

kitten

I do not know

about

kittens

So I listened

to the

cat

and learned

Pause

Breathe

Listen

To Ponder Further:
- From the Bible: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." (Genesis 2.15)

- From Islam: "Someone said, "O Messenger of God, will we then have a reward for the good done to our animals?" "There will be a reward," he replied, "for anyone who gives water to a being that has a tender heart." (Hadith of Bukhari)

- From Buddhism: "As a mother with her own life guards the life of her own child, let all-embracing thoughts for all that lives be thine." (Khuddaka Patha, Metta Sutta)