The Ultimate Kindness

By Linda Commito

Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we can’t eat money.

— Native American Cree proverb

Why do we tend to value people, places and things more when we are at risk of losing them?  That is true of our quality of life—the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. When there is plenty, we’re less likely to appreciate and care for what we have, taking for granted the abundance of our natural resources until we realize that they are not only limited but being depleted or contaminated every day.

Why does it take a major catastrophe to wake us up to the damage that we are causing to our environment, to our irreplaceable planet? And then, why are we shocked when we see the rivers drying up, the dead fish encased in oil or subjected to red tide on our shores, the dark brown clouds on the horizon, the increasing floods and fires, or the birds falling from the sky?

While we may be aware of the negative impact that we’ve had on the Earth—air and water pollution, deforestation, animal extinction, etc.—will it take being on the brink of irreversible ecological disaster to prompt us to action?

It’s not too late to change our fate. Each thing that we do is now critically more important, especially when multiplied by the billions of people sharing this planet. Our stay is temporary.  How can we be GOOD GUESTS of the PLANET? Perhaps asking ourselves: Am I fully valuing the gift of living here, taking care of the earth and its resources as best I can? Am I taking no more than I need or more than I can give back? Am I being respectful to its other inhabitants and sharing resources equitably?

We Can Make a Positive Difference

Our decisions to recycle, to not overuse water, to drive fuel-efficient or electric vehicles, to limit the use of plastics that contaminate our environment and kill sea life, to hold corporations who pollute accountable, to vote for the politicians and support the people and organizations who are leading the way in environmental consciousness and actions are all acts of kindness, not only to the planet and its current inhabitants, but to future generations as well.

We can be better guests of our planet. Take action now to preserve what we have and to prevent further depletion of our natural resources. It will have a positive impact on the future of our Planet Earth.

Let’s be kind to our shared home.  It may be our ultimate act of kindness to each other and to ourselves.

Think About the Following:

In what ways do you consider yourself a good guest of the planet?

What is one thing that you can do now to have a positive impact on our planet?

What are some of the best ways that you’ve found to support our environment?

Linda Commito, author, speaker, entrepreneur, consultant and teacher, is passionate about her vision to leave this world a kinder, more compassionate and interconnected place. Her award-winning book of inspirational stories, Love is the New Currency, demonstrates how we can each make a positive difference in the lives of others through simple acts of love and kindness. Visit www.loveisthenewcurrency.com for more information and/or to sign up for an uplifting monthly newsletter. Read about everyday acts of kindness on www.FB.com/kindnesscollaborative. Linda believes that in order to inspire a kinder world the place to start is with children. She volunteered at a Title One elementary school, working with over 500 students, to create and facilitate “Kindness Starts with Me,» a program which includes a website (www.kindnessstartswithme.com) and a book for children.

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