Islands of Kindness
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d be hard pressed to avoid the grim situation this planet of ours is facing.
Devastating hurricanes, forests on fire from Australia to Brazil, species dying, oceans full of plastic, I could go on, but I am sure you get the picture.
This planet of ours is gasping, convulsing and fevered.
So where does that leave us, we compassionate, empathetic, nature loving types? What can we cling to as the oceans rise and the denial of our elected officials transitions from merely ridiculous to earth destroying eco terrorism?
Where indeed?
I’ll tell you where, here, right where we are, right where we were meant to be, to do the work we were called here to do.
I am talking of course, about kindness.
The optimist within me is always looking for hope, for the power of nature to withstand anything we can throw at it, but the hard fact is that science (and our own senses) show otherwise. The earth (at least as we know it) is dying and it’s our job to do the best we can to ensure a kinder, gentler passing.
It’s time to hospice the earth.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying throw up our hands, start driving diesels, doubling up on plastic and giving up.
I am talking about asking ourselves, “What can I do today, now, tomorrow that will add kindness and care to those who are hurting?”
How can I ease the suffering of this world today?
Lose the big picture and look at the world around you. Can you deliver meals to an elderly person, rescue a senior dog, plant a tree, volunteer at an elephant sanctuary? Stop eating meat?
Never before in the history of mankind have more animals, people and plants desperately needed compassionate and empathetic people to take action.
I know, there are days when it’s all too much, and we long to crawl back under the covers and turn away from the attacks on nature. WHY did we have to be born here, now?
If you are reading this, then you know why. YOU, with your aching heart and your troubled mind, are the absolute best remedy to a troubled world.
You were born for this!
We, my compassionate friends, are here at this exact moment BECAUSE (as hard as it sometime is) the world and her species are crying out for us, for our love and our care. We are the last defense against cruelty, bitterness, destruction. We are beacons of light in world of growing shadows.
So take a deep breath, and steel yourself, the hour is dark and it’s time to get busy.
Thyra Rutter is Artist & Founder of Arte for Elephants, a philanthropic art business that generates money for elephant sanctuaries through the sale of fine art. Also known as The Elephant Portrait Artist. To date Arte for Elephants has raised and donated over $39K for elephant sanctuaries around the world. www.arteforelephants.net
