Photo credit: Robin Malmanger

By Dave Markwell

I’m a child of the earth. I’ve spent more time with dirt under my fingernails than not. I’ve dug and planted and swam in lakes and rivers and oceans. I’ve climbed trees and cut them down. I’ve pruned and shaped shrubs and mowed thousands of miles of grass. I’ve picked weeds in the sun and in the mud. I dipped my head in warm waters and cold ones. I’ve danced barefoot on fresh-cut lawns and cut flowers for special people. I’ve seen magical sunsets and sunrises.

My best moments involve natural elements. We’re natural elements, too. We are not separate from the earth. We are the earth. We can be crappy partners, but we are married to each other. Gratefully, earth is resilient.

Every blade of grass I’ve mowed or tree I’ve trimmed has grown back. Left to her own devices, mother nature just grows. She doesn’t over-think it. She just does it, naturally and easily. She can teach us many lessons.

On Earth Day, it may be worth some consideration of how we can be a better spouse. A little collective mindfulness goes a long way. Small choices over time accumulate. We’ve made some lousy ones. But, we can begin where we are and do better. We are stewards of both earth and life. And, both deserve the best love we have. It’s natural and beautiful, and creates both a happy world, and a happy life.

Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave is now using his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives.

For more info. check out his website: wordsbydave.net.

He can be contacted at: [email protected].

 

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...