Earth Day

So yesterday was Earth Day.

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

I've always been drawn to nature. To the stories it tells in the howling wind. To it simplicity. To its complexity. To its wild air. To its unpredictability. To its hidden paths.

Yesterday I spent lunch at the Chattahoochee River with two delightful friends who enjoy laughing and climbing on trees extended across the water as much as I do. Then after school, I played frisbee and hiked a random path along the river at a different park. That is an ideal day to me, wandering by the water and having a jolly time with fun people.

I think that is exactly what Earth Day is all about. It's about appreciating the land and water and air around you. About giving it some love and exploring it in whatever direction the wind takes you. 

Anyways, I'm going to keep this post short and sweet with this... I challenge you to live everyday like Earth Day. Spend a little time in the fresh air. Walk off the common path. Put your feet in the water and splash. I promise spending time in nature is the best medicine available. Plus, it's completely free.

The better we treat the world, the better it will treat us. And I'm not talking about karma or "what goes around comes around". I literally mean if we aim to recycle more and not keep the lights on when we are out of the room, the world will be less littered with human waste. It is our responsibility to take care of our home. After all we are just looking after it for someone much greater.

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A Few Quick Photos of Chaos

Just two days before the glorious weather that was yesterday a tornado warning struck Georgia. In just ten minutes the clear blue sky turned to gray rolling clouds holding enormous hail and powerful rain. I thought it was magnificent. The heart of the storm only hit my house for about 10 minutes, but the effects of that short time were insane. Leaves covered our porch. Two feet of hail piled against the edge of our veranda. Fog covered the forest and neighborhood. 

I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures while the after effects of the chaos were still visible. 

They're nothing magnificent, but I think they tell a story.