Our Greatest Teacher

Welcome to the Earth Day Blog Carnival

This post is part of the Earth Day Blog Carnival hosted by Child of the Nature Isle and Monkey Butt Junction. Each participant has shared their practices and insights of earth friendly, environmentally conscious, eco-living. This carnival is our way to share positive information and inspiration that can create healing for our planet. Please read to the end of this post to find a list of links to the other carnival participants. Happy Earth Day!

Where we live, the Delaware Canal is easily accessible and it has become a routine for us to take a walk along it every day. I find this to be an infinitely wondrous experience because nature is always providing us with something new to look at, talk about or explore. Our time together in the fresh air is irreplaceable; we may not always be able to spend so much time in a natural habitat such as this one. For this reason, I turn every walk into an enjoyable learning experience because nature is our most treasured teacher.

At our entrance to the Canal, we usually find a pair of ducks floating along in the water or waddling through the grass looking for food. They often follow us as we walk, quacking away and Heidi gets a real kick out of being so close to different animals. I also get to point out to her the differences between the male duck and the female duck every time we see them, how colorful his head is and how interesting her brown markings are. We see and hear a number of other birds on our walk, especially geese, though I do not know much about them, nor can I tell a male from a female.

On another part of the Canal, there is a fallen tree still attached to its roots. We know this because the tips of its branches are budding with new leaves in bright red fluffy bunches. When we pass it, I always have Heidi lightly touch it and tell her that those are where leaves come from and some day we might see them turn green. Along the path we use to approach the Canal is another fallen tree that was completely severed and pulled its roots up from the ground. This too is fascinating because we can not only see how old the tree was, we also get a rare glance at what a tree’s roots look like, how they intertwine and how they made their way through the dirt and around obstacles to find the nutrients they needed.

My favorite lesson of all right now, created by Mother Nature herself, is the one I teach Heidi every time she throws a rock into the Canal. “Look at all the ripples you made!” I tell her and she smiles. “Look how far those ripples are going!” Of course she doesn’t quite understand the meaning yet, but in the future I will use this tool to help her understand how her one, simple action can cause so many reactions that were unintentional. That is why we must always be careful when we choose to disturb the water.

I cannot imagine ever living in a place where nature is not easily accessible. She offers us so many opportunities to learn and grow, breathe deeply and enjoy her beauty. I look for every opportunity available to encourage the same love and respect of nature in my children as I have developed over the years and I hope in time they too look to the Earth to teach them life’s most important lessons.

I make Earth Day every day. Do you?

Visit Monkey Butt Junction and Child of the Nature Isle to read all about the Earth Day Blog Carnival.
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Going Green in 2011 - Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses the way she and her family are going “greener” in 2011.

Our Greatest Teacher - Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro shares her experiences with her children and nature, their greatest teacher.

Dreaming of Spring Gardening - Erin of the Waterloons talks about the ultimate in local food, her backyard garden.

Earth Conscious Minimalism - Nada at miniMOMist thinks minimalism can help you save the world — as long as you don’t just toss everything in the trash! Check out Her list of places to donate (bet you haven’t thought of them all!).

Blessings to the Earth - Amy at Anktangle believes that a simple act, such as being intentionally grateful for our food, is just the catalyst we need to bring about large-scale change.

Eight Movies to Inspire Change - Mrs Green at Little Green Blog shares her top 8 movies that have inspired her to take action to make the world a better place. She’d love to hear your suggestions to add to her viewing list!

Can I Have a Green Period Too? Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares the environmental impact of switching to sustainable menstrual products, along with offering a great Mama Cloth giveaway for anyone interested in making the switch (and for those who already have and want to increase their stash!).

An Eden to Call Our Own - Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares how learning to care for the Earth starts in her own garden.

Elimination Communication - Melissa at the New Mommy Files discusses the environmental impact of diapering, and why elimination communication was the best choice for her family.

The Living Earth: A Meditation in Science and Reverence - Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante asks you to pause to wonder at the blessing of the fact that our living planet is here at all.

Earth Day Anthem - Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro created a poem in honor of Mother Earth, women and nurturers everywhere.

The Plasticity of Compromise - Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares how she is working to compromise on healthy family living and avoiding plastics whenever possible.

Earth Day Resolutions - Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares why she has decided to make Earth Day resolutions, what those resolutions are, and how they are a step up from her current efforts at green living.

Is it time for you to say “Enough!”? Mrs Green at My Zero Waste asks you to rise up and say ‘Enough!’ on Earth Day.

Homeschooling with the Earth - Terri at Child of the Nature Isle shares her desires and dreams for Earth-based learning and the ways her two young children have already started a natural curriculum.

Beyond the Green Sheen - Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction offers some advice on how to avoid greenwashing and make purchasing choices that really have a positive impact.