Do What You Can

It’s Earth Day once more, and many people, Pagan and non, are doing their best to honor the Mother.  Whether it’s Earth Day, Earth Hour, Arbor Day, or what have you, one should definitely take these observances as reminders of what we should be doing every day.  Honoring the Earth Mother, and attempting to live in better harmony with my brother and sister Nature Spirits, is a major part of my Druidic life.  The key, I’ve found, is to take baby steps and do what I can.  It’s so easy to fall into a guilty mindset, and while that can be a little motivating, it’s mostly discouraging.  It’s better, or so it seems, to commit to small goals and set yourself up for success rather than the opposite!

Every Earth Day, I’ve made a point of going into the forest to pick up a bag of litter.  I dedicate the action to the Earth Mother and local spirits.  This year I’m just not feeling up to it.  The bigger I get, the harder it is to bend over and navigate the uneven terrain in the forest.  Rather than feel bad about what I can’t do, I decided to set myself a smaller goal.  Armed with a little bag and garden gloves, I made a small circuit around my home.  I picked up a ton of trash in just a small area.  Was it casually thrown after an outdoor snack?  Did it blow out of the garbage?  Probably a combination.  Shopping bags, old Halloween decor, plastic eggs, disposable utensils, candy wrappers…  Rather than focusing on blame and disgust in my species, I tried to think about the difference one person can make.  Now the land around my apartment is cleaner!  To top it off, I got a little exercise and did something nice for the local spirits.