A Word from Alwyn: TO FLY THE EARTH FLAG
If we had doubts about our connection to our planet, the Earth, these past few decades should have changed all that. Climate change has shocked the world, not only in our own nation where wildfires in the Western states blaze, but throughout the world as global warming increases – bringing droughts, floods, high heat levels and other disasters – and causing loss of lives. Top scientists in the US and elsewhere believe such disasters are certain to increase and grow even more deadly. And now of course a planetary scale pandemic that shows no signs of diminishing or ending any time soon.
What this says to me—and may, I hope to you—is that the foundation of our lives is now the planetary one we know as Earth. And until and when we acknowledge this truth, we will be losing a great opportunity to think and act beyond national lines but also as world citizens. This has begun to happen but it is important to raise human consciousness on this issue to instill a deeper understanding of our need to recognize our belonging and responsibilities to the planet. In other words, as the visionary statement in Befriending Creation the Quaker Earthcare Witness publication says, “We are called to live in right relationship wth all creation recognizing that the entire world is a manifestation of God.”
Visions can have the power to change how we feel and see our role in the world. Most especially if they can be experienced physically as well as in our thoughts. With humanity moving in the direction of a greater planetary consciousness, let me suggest that it is time to fly the beautiful Earth Flag (created by the Astronauts from outer space and obtainable from Amazon) —where others may see it. I have flown a full flag size Earth Flag from the roof of my patio for years and almost everyone who sees it seems to grasp its message as important and true. Especially now as devastations mount, it conves a message that our current mode of thinking is dangerously outmoded and that our deeper identity rests in the life of the planet.
This is a truth that I believe has been best expressed by the great cultural historian, Thomas Berry in his book The Great Work, when he says: “ As we become familiar with the language of the winds, the sea, the lands, and all the un-numbered forms of life that form this great community of Earth may we realize that we are Earthlings born out of the Earth and that we have no future except within the larger sacred community of Earth.” Let the Earth Flag help us move from a human centered mentality to an earth centered understanding of our lives. – Alwyn Moss
Post Note: Alwyn Moss longtime environmentalist who studied under Berry, a former Rudolph Steiner kindergarten teacher, an artist, poet and dear friend. Read more about here HERE. A review of her book, Never Love a Feral Cat, is HERE.
October 16th, 2020 5:28 pm
You’ve got me thinking about displaying the flag in our front yard, Colleen.
July 2nd, 2021 2:19 pm
I LOVE the Earth flag! One summer was working at a YMCA camp in Colorado, as a camp counselor, and we’d start the day saying pledge of allegiance to US flag. I asked if we could add an Earth flag and say the pledge to that, and was thrilled when it was okay’d! “I pledge allegiance to the Earth, and all the life which it supports, one planet, in our care, irreplaceable, with sustenance and respect for all.” That was over 20+ years ago, and I’ve often wondered it it made an impact at all on the campers and other staff. I did me!