What's your relationship to the Earth?

Although I have lived in cities most of my adult life, I grew up in rural Michigan. It was there in the woods, along the river, the streams and the swamps of my youth that my sense of the Earth and my connection to it developed. And the woods still hold sway over my emotions. Fortunately, Philadelphia has the largest park system in the world - Fairmount Park. So, there is no shortage of wooded areas nearby. But even in the city, especially in my neighborhood, there are many tree-lined streets, and many of them receive a friendly pat as I walk by. As a child begins in the belly of the mother, and forever retains that connection on a deeper spiritual level, so we who come from the Earth must endeavor to remain conscious of that connection as well.