What a crazy start to summer. First a scary high windstorm came through, knocking out power and downing lots of trees. The winds shifted from the north to the south and it became extremely hot and humid. There were warnings to stay inside it was so hot. Even worse the United States bombed Iran.
A cold wind coming across the big lake
The power is back on, the birds are back singing and the butterflies seem to have survived the storm, and we will never know the harm the United States did to the people of Iran.
I hope your summer is special, that you are able to spend time outside, and enjoy the long days. Everyday work for peace and justice and speak out!
March 20 is the first day of spring, International Day of Happiness and Nowruz. Nature has given us the beauty of spring. Be sure you spend time outside every day to appreciate our beautiful Earth. Ancient people celebrated the first day of spring thousands of years ago!
For the Northern Hemisphere, March 20 is the first day of spring. But for 300 million people around the world, it’s the beginning of a new year, too. Nowruz—which means “new day”—is a holiday marking the arrival of spring and the first day of the year in Iran, whose solar calendar begins with the vernal equinox. Nowruz has been celebrated in Iran and the Persian diaspora for more than 3,000 years. Its roots are as a feast day in Zoroastrianism, a religion practiced in ancient Persia that viewed the arrival of spring as a victory over darkness. The holiday survived the Islamic conquest of Persia in the seventh century and the decline of Zoroastrianism’s popularity, and it spread across the globe through the diaspora of Persian people throughout history. (Here’s how Persia became the world’s first true empire.
It is hard to celebrate much happiness with such chaos in the world. Try to spring clean your brain and think about mental health for yourself and those you love. Be good to yourself and be good to the entire world.
This year’s theme is caring and sharing. Make your own happiness special! Go for quiet walks and watch for changes around you as we transition into spring. The birds are returning and the lake near my home is almost losing its winter ice! Soon new buds will be on the trees.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that!” Martin Luther King
Be kind!
Today is the National Day of Service. Read about it here
What are you doing this week? Pick up litter, donate to a food self, visit someone who needs to be visited, send a thank you note or a letter of gratitude to someone, and ..smile.
“Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.” Martin Luther King
I’m for anything that is peaceful and kind. Get outside in March and please contribute peace to a Mindful March
Mindfulness helps us respond more wisely, especially in difficult times. So let’s pause, breathe and choose to live mindfully this month. By cultivating inner peace we can contribute to peace in the world around us too.
Look for beauty and live with awareness and kindness every day!
In our hands now lies not only our own future but that of all other living creatures with whom we share the earth.” — Sir David Attenborough
Peace not War! President Biden, Secretaries Blinken and Austin need to immediately be working on a cease fire. the loss of civilian lives is not acceptable. A ceasefire is the way to release hostages!
Working together we can make the world safer and more peaceful. Let’s work for compassion and understanding. Civilians always bear the brunt of these conflicts, and should never be targeted in war!
What does war accomplish but more suffering, lots of death, environmental destruction, and more anger. The people who suffer have very little to do with the actual conflict, and most are children and their mothers. Healthy and sane people talk and compromise. They do not make fun of other people, rape, bully or kill. They work for healthy communities even if they don’t always get their way. Peace Not War!
An Ode to Peace
Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war I dreamed I saw a mighty room The room was filled with men And the paper they were signing said They’d never fight again
And when the papers were all signed And a million copies made They all joined hands end bowed their heeds And grateful prayers were prayed And the people in the streets below Were dancing round and round Well swords and gun and uniforms Were scattered on the ground
Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war by Ed Mccurdy.
“It’s time we prioritize empathy and compassion. It’s time to recognize the individual suffering of those who have lost so much on all warring sides. It’s time to ponder how we can comprehend and stand by those who bear the weight of suffering. Let’s step into their shoes, endeavor to see the world through their eyes, and acknowledge that empathy doesn’t equate to endorsing violence or choosing sides.
Empathy signifies recognizing the real people obscured behind the headlines, people grappling with unfathomable pain and despair. It’s an acknowledgment that there are no victors but only losers in conflict.” The Planet
Working together, if everyone does a small part it can add up to a big whole.
May is an exciting month. The days are getting longer, and after a cold spring the changes in nature will be enormous and fast. I hope you can get outside every day and enjoy the beauty of the plants, birds, and butterflies of our planet.
Early blooming native plants. Enjoy!
If you breathe, you should care about clean air. The wild fires have begun, and people are driving their cars, using lawn mowers, blowers and spreading chemicals. All these things contribute to dirty air.
How can we make May meaningful? You can choose to do some of these things to help create clean air for all of us.
If you breathe air or drink water, you should care about the health of our Earth.
We all know the Earth is suffering. What we fail to recognize is that a sick planet leads to unhealthy sick people and for long-term consequences for our children.
We must hold business accountable for the plastic they produce, and they must be held accountable if they pollute our air and water. Our elected officials need to be held accountable to hold oil companies and plastic producers to rigorous standards. Most important, we also have to hold ourselves accountable for how we pollute our air and water. Holding ourselves personally responsible is what we can control!
Even little things can make a huge difference if we work together. On Earth Day recalibrate your life to do three simple things a week to lighten our Earth’s load:
Choose one day to eat meatless, choose one day to not drive, and choose one day to be plastic-free. On plastic-free day don’t purchase or use anything plastic, and don’t or eat or drink food from plastic containers.
Don’t eat or drink from plastic
Every Day do something kind, and please take three breaths for peace in Ukraine.
Peace For Ukraine!
This reading list is too long, but I hope you can read at least one of these excellent articles:
And from my city: Kick single use plastics. In Minneapolis, less than half of plastics are recycled. Most plastics are made from oil and gas. About 4% to 8% of the world’s oil product is for plastics, and most plastics are thrown away after a single use. Plastics collect in our lakes and rivers and break down into micro and nanoplastics. One way to help is to bring your own bag to grocery and convenience stores.
Coca-Cola produces 200,000 new plastic bottles a minute and sells112 billion plastic beverage bottles worldwide every year for a total of roughly 3 million metric tons of plastic packaging. The majority of Coca-Cola’s plastic bottles are not recycled and only 11.5% are made from recycled material. Many of Coca-Cola’s plastic bottles end up littered in the world’s rivers and ocean.
March 20 is the first day of spring, International Day of Happiness and Nowruz. Nature has given us the beauty of spring. Be sure you spend time outside every day to appreciate our beautiful Earth. Ancient people celebrated the first day of spring thousands of years ago!
For the Northern Hemisphere, March 20 is the first day of spring. But for 300 million people around the world, it’s the beginning of a new year, too. Nowruz—which means “new day”—is a holiday marking the arrival of spring and the first day of the year in Iran, whose solar calendar begins with the vernal equinox. Nowruz has been celebrated in Iran and the Persian diaspora for more than 3,000 years. Its roots are as a feast day in Zoroastrianism, a religion practiced in ancient Persia that viewed the arrival of spring as a victory over darkness. The holiday survived the Islamic conquest of Persia in the seventh century and the decline of Zoroastrianism’s popularity, and it spread across the globe through the diaspora of Persian people throughout history. (Here’s how Persia became the world’s first true empire.
It is hard to celebrate much happiness with such an awful war going on. Instead, spring clean your brain, and think about mental health for yourself and those you love. It has been a difficult two years for the entire world, so be good to yourself and be good to the entire world.
The author suggests practicing mindfulness, declutter your surroundings, reconnect with people, reduce news bombardment by reading or watching only two trusted sources for information, and finally keeping a journal. Read the article in the above link.
To truly clean your brain, you need to spend time outside. Let the wind blow through your hair, absorb some sun and breathe deeply. Find beauty in the outdoors and in nature and go for a walk. Write is your journal about what you observe. I saw my first junco and noisy robins today. Time in Nature Can Now Be Prescribed as Health Care Treatment in Canada – EcoWatch
Give yourself some purpose, be kind, smile and do something good for the earth and your brain will be spring cleaned!
Wishing victory over darkness for Ukraine. Take 3 deep breaths for peace in Ukraine.
Hope for Ukraine!
The Earth gives us spring,
Enjoy!
The Actions for Happiness have created a website for International Day of Happiness and things we can all do to make the world a kinder place:
We know the drill to help ward off climate problems, drive less, use less plastic, eat less meat, and reduce food waste. Buy less, waste less, and use less energy!
I was in Ukraine in 2013. The people were very kind, helping us get around, take public transportation, and order food. My husband and I loved the beautiful country and kind people!
Yes, we are under stress worrying about Ukraine and climate change. Below is the mindful calendar for March to help maintain our mental health.
Medical supplies from the United States and Europe because Ukrainian suppliers ran out of gear and medical supplies. For more information go to razomforukraine.org.
United Help Ukraine is providing lifesaving first-aid kits to the front lines. The organization also helps the families of those wounded or killed in war and gives support to displaced people from Crimea and eastern Ukraine. For more information go to unitedhelpukraine.org.
Sunflower of Peace is raising funds for first-aid medical backpacks for paramedics and doctors on the front lines. Each backpack has the ability to save up to 10 lives, according to the organization. For more information go to facebook.com/sunflowerofpeace.
Ukrainian Red Cross Society: Volunteers and staff provide first aid in areas where medical access is limited. Funds will be used to support those in need, blood collection, mobilization of volunteers and resources and emergency activities. For more information go to redcross.org.ua/en.
Help for children: UNICEF is ensuring Ukrainian children have access to safe water, nutrition, health care, education and protection during the invasion. For more information go to www.unicef.org/ukraine/en.
Voices of Children provides psychological and psychosocial support for children caught in the middle of the armed conflict. For more information go to voices.org.ua/en/.
Journalism: The Kyiv Independent, a Ukrainian-English news site, provides up-to-date information of Russia’s invasion. Its fundraising site can be found on GoFundMe.
Health4earth 