As I think about Earth Day, I consider how interconnected and interdependent we all are. We’re not just talking about people and trees, but everything: other humans, other animals, plants, air, water, soil, sun, etc. In the hustle and bustle of everyday living, it’s easy to forget about all of this. This is particularly the case in a culture that stresses independence and “getting ahead”–getting ahead of what, I’m still not sure. Recognizing how we fit into the big picture helps us to maintain perspective and balance. This is particularly important in an era when we’re geographically dispersed from many of the things to which we’re connected: just to name a few, family, workplace, school, food sources, and home may be in very different places.

Many Earth Day activities revolve around becoming more connected to our environments and to the various elements of nature we impact through our living and consumption patterns. This weekend, I attended the festivities in a local nature reserve, and witnessed people connecting with plants and animals, family members, neighbors, activities they enjoy, and so on.

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to take your Earth Day celebration a bit beyond the norm (e.g., pledging to recycle just a few more bottles over the next week), I recommend taking on a small challenge over the next week or two. Out of the life areas listed below, derived from the life wheel or Life Investment Portfolio Chart, pick out two or three where you currently feel the most disconnected or out of touch. For each of them, determine two small actions you can take to become more connected to someone or something important to you. For example, getting closer to family might be as simple as making a 10-minute phone call to two relatives you haven’t spoken with in some time. As you take these small steps, what energy do you get back? What realizations do you have? I’d love to hear about any ideas you have or any progress you make. Happy Earth Day!

• family
• intimacy/romance
• career/work
• friends/community
• spiritual
• health
• fun/recreation
• giving/serving
• home/physical environment
• world situation
• personal development