Gratitude

What an immense gift it is to experience this life through the human lens. Where we can see both what has plagued us and what makes us extraordinary—all in a single rotation on earth’s axis.

Collectively, we’ve strayed from a sustainable path. But, whether merely by circumstance or divine reason, we have the undeniably unique opportunity to steer the ship back on course—and it starts with love. Toxicity grows where love has faded away, and we’ve allowed far too much of the love on this planet to be stripped from our micro and macro environments—our gut, our soil, our ecosystems, our political systems, our kin of both human and animal decent, and lastly—ourselves.

Over the course of thousands of years, fear in lieu of love has given birth to xenophobia, greed, unconscionable violence, and an immense disconnect with our natural world. This fear has been weaponized by individuals and systems of political and ideological oppression to wield power while acting on the same fear that they, in turn, disseminate to the masses. An infectious and powerful notion.

And yet here we are in 2021 with an opportunity to reject said notions—individually and collectively. To approach all things, people, animals, plants, even our own mortality with conscious love as the lead. And how? Because the strength of love is just as infectious and influential as the other side of the coin. Without love for the whole, the whole will cease to exist. It has already begun. The average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20% over the last 120 years. We have nuked our soil and poisoned ourselves in the process—body, and mind. We have to do things differently. We have to lead with love.

Symbiosis is a manifestation of a loving relationship. Every meal, every glass of water, every hug, every laugh, every friendship, every romance—all that which feeds us is given by this planet—all of it given with love. One half of an ancient and sacred symbiosis. A dear friend once told me, “to give anything less than you are given is to waste the gift.” What a waste it would be. I am grateful today for the opportunity to help right the ship—to honor the abundance of this planet and its people and return the love that has been given to me.