Lessons From Mother Nature

“We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.” ~ Andy Goldsworthy

We are on the backside of Mother’s Day, where most of the world celebrated their mothers or motherly figures in their lives, but how many of us stop to celebrate Mother Nature? As we go through our day, we should often stop to enjoy her majestic beauty, awe, and wonder. Most of us are absent from reality, trying to relive the past or fantasizing about the future, and miss out on the magic, mystery, blessings, and lessons Mother Nature has in store for us. There is much wisdom in the phrase “stop and smell the roses.”

Our ego causes us to disconnect from nature instead of accepting that we are a part of nature. Nature is in us, and we are in nature; it’s called the circle of life. When we fail to take care of nature, we are failing to take care of ourselves. Our obsession for more and the pursuit of happiness is a severe addiction to us and a death sentence for Mother Earth. God gave us dominion over the earth and a free will to live as we choose. God’s plan is for the salvation of all of creation, not just humanity. We are all a part of the salvation process, which means we have a huge responsibility to care not only for ourselves but all of creation.

How intentional are you when it comes to enjoying and taking care of Mother Nature?

What can you do starting today to become a better recipient, ambassador, and steward of God’s creation?

“We are nature.
Our bodies carry its swimming waters.
We are made of the soil
and eat the plants that grow from it.
From dust to dust
we come and go.

Each time I bring
my hands to my heart
in prayer,
flowing my body with my breath,
it is devotional,
a dance with the earth
and of the earth.

I dance with every tree,
sway with the wind,
bloom with every flower
in my being.

My breath,
Mother Earth,
is yours.

—the whole planet is in me”
~ Ashley Asti, Yoga Heartsongs

God of all creation, thank You for the gift of life and Mother Nature. We lose sight of our responsibility to nature through our ignorance and self-righteousness, and, most notably, we lose sight of You God. Please remove our busyness and grant us the ability to stop and absorb the many lessons and blessings of nature. Please help save Your creation from ourselves, and give us the willingness and proper attitude to look after all of creation, especially since you entrusted Mother Nature herself to our care, custody, and control. In Your Spirit and Name, we pray these things. May Your will not ours always materialize, now and forever. Amen.