Sunrise...sunset

 

The Eastern sky is brilliant each morning as I return from taking the kids to the bus stop.  The school year is nearly halfway over.  My kids are fully vaccinated now, Husband and I both got our boosters, and we have all avoided contracting COVID-19.  I was able to give a presentation about COVID-19 vaccine science to the middle school.  I shouldn't have been shocked by they conspiracy theories existing in the community and voiced through the questions of children - but I was.  At least I presented the public health viewpoint for their consideration.  It is probably the only time most of them will hear it.  

Despite my training and understanding of science.  There is something almost spiritual that I continue to feel about this pandemic.  Let's face it - humans have only microscopic predators and humans are a plague on the resources of mother Earth.  In the US we approach 800,000 deaths from COVID-19 and the virus is not done evolving.  We are under attack.  

This weekend the Earth waged further war on humanity through ever more natural disasters, a cluster of tornadoes across six states in December.  Humans are going to have to start paying the debt we owe to nature - we need to plant trees, take less, live with a lighter imprint.  Our expectation that the Earth is a never-ending Giving Tree is folly.  We need a new ending.

The sun is going to continue to rise and set on this planet - whether humans will continue to witness it or if mother Nature will send us the way of the dinosaurs seems to depend on whether or not we can learn that we are not separate from Nature, but part of it.  

Each setting sun reminds us that the day is over and a long cold December night is near.  We have stored up the sun's energy so that we can live in the illusion of day long after the sun has set.  We burn wood to ensure we are warm when the temps drop below freezing.  These are gifts of nature to live in comfort when the outdoors are harsh.  But do we treat these moments as gifts or do we expect that we are entitled to these comforts as the supreme animals we thinks ourselves to be?