Emperor Geese fly by over the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA. Image by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.†
“The world has so much beautiful wildlife that people need to enjoy, treasure, and respect. It’s part of all of our lives, and we need to get back into nature. Get out of noisy cities, away from computers, and just go out and listen, look, and smell the surroundings. You start thinking, shouldn’t we protect this? We are part of nature, and people tend to forget that. We need a reminder that nature is beautiful. You can get joy and satisfaction; it reaches your heart if you have an open mind.” –George Schaller ‡
Who can take issue with those words? I feel that today’s political maelstrom distracts us from those activities that truly bring joy. It is easy to get caught up in negativity and spend our short lives fretting because of our addiction to “breaking news” that often just help to sell advertisements. We need to stay on top of the news that really affect us, and that includes paying attention to those who would take away our freedom. To have the energy to work to preserve our democracy we must refresh ourselves in joyful activities.
Today commemorates the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, a hideous event to be never repeated, yet it was repeated 3 days later in Nagasaki. Those days need not recur. We must continue to choose life and joy over death and suffering. And we can joyfully join others that want to ban nuclear weapons, such as those at ICAN.
Life is a mixed bag of happiness and sorrow. Yet we can choose joy and keep ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually fit by soaking in wildlife and nature experiences whenever we can, and supporting organizations that make that possible.
Choose to be joyful.
Well stated. The phrase "Stop and smell the roses" comes to mind. It is a simple act wherever you are to just stop, turn 360 degree rotation and take in what you see. It is amazing everything around us if you do this simple act wherever you are.
I am ever-grateful that I live in a place where I can walk out my front door and into the woods. Doom-scrolling is such a waste of what precious time we have left. Now if only I can convince my walking partner to stop filling me in on what I have missed by not owning a TV. Oh well, at least she is walking in the woods!