Planet Earth is the best hostess! I like to think of the planet as a supportive partner. Earth offers all the basics – air, food, water, sources of heat, light for productive hours and dark for rest, resources for shelter and clothing, and elements that we can combine to create even more possibilities. The earth spins so that we don’t have to worry about falling off and affords us awe inspiringly beautiful views. I simply can’t think of a better host or hostess.
I sometimes wonder how much healthier we might be if we lived with this thought top of mind and worked more cooperatively with nature. My gut tells me we’d probably feel more peaceful. We could definitely avoid some clear and present pitfalls.
This question came up again last week when we discovered black widow spiders living under some rocks near my house. Like most of us do when we see harmful bugs, I called the exterminator. I really don’t want poisonous spiders in my house or my RV which was parked nearby.
Instead of extoling the virtues of the chemicals he was about to spray, the exterminator said I should get some wolf spiders to eat the black widows. I found this interesting and worth researching. I already didn’t allow him to spray in my house, but maybe I don’t need him to spray the porches either.
I’m certainly comfortable with fewer chemicals. I’ve been killing poison ivy and weeds with vinegar, salt, and a little dish soap for several years and only using diluted dish soap to kill bugs in the garden. This summer, I haven’t even used that in the garden and the yields have been generous. And I feel better about eating the food.
Given the possible links between herbicides and cancer risk, drugs and cancer risk, and food additives and cancer risk, it seems that many chemical compounds are best limited or avoided altogether. I feel certain many gut issues and inflammation are attributable to the body’s interpretation of foreign substances.
I’m not saying you should throw everything out and start over, never take an antibiotic, or never eat a piece of bacon. Obviously, I called the exterminator. I’m thinking more along the lines of shifting our cultural view of the Earth from something to be conquered and subjugated to a marvelous host to be celebrated and appreciated.
Would that change how we route, deliver, and use water? Would it alter how and where we build roads? Would it change how we house and feed chickens, turkeys, and cows? Maybe not. But it might. And I feel as though it would improve our quality of life.
Many of us know that walking through the woods, getting our hands dirty in the garden, watching a colorful sunset, breathing in the fragrance of a lilac or hyacinth, or taking in the view on the edge of a cliff can have a positive, healing effect. Just like a good host, nature makes us feel better.
Perhaps it’s time to recognize Earth is the best host/hostess and treat it as such.
