Down to Earth

Holidays are always fun occasions to do something different – Even the most minimal and obscure ones are reasons to celebrate in my book. Although it’s not even officially commemorated in my calendar, today happens to be Earth Day, and if there was ever something to pay homage to, I would definitely have to give the award to our planet. As so much of the world continues to pollute and destroy it with reckless abandon, it needs us more than ever; It wasn’t created to become our personal trash heap, but now we’re the only ones who can dig ourselves out of this mess. Big words coming from the girl who could probably have her own landfill full of food wrappers and yarn scraps, but the thought is still there…! Wanting to show my appreciation in more than just acknowledging the passing of this date, I decided to do at least some very small act to connect to the land to which we owe so much. Shovel in hand, I strode jauntily onto my sun-drenched lawn the other day, prepared to get down and dirty to plant some sweet little sprouts. Not the biggest commitment on my part, I’ll admit, but it’s the thought that counts!

Taking in a deep breath of fresh air, I couldn’t believe what a gorgeous day I had the good fortune to enjoy. Finally, it feels like a kind and generous sun has returned to fill the sky with bountiful sunlight, warming my surroundings as though such thing as “winter” had never existed. Admiring the beauty of nature, I suppose I was a bit distracted as I moved the earth aside with my tiny trowel because I could have sworn that I felt the dirt itself pushing back. A weird sensation to say the least, but I paid little mind – It was probably just due to the strenuous force required to extricate some of the bigger stones in my path, I reasoned. Continuing to the best of my ability, I soon found it was impossible to deny that there was definitely something preventing my shovel from descending any further. Setting my tools aside to take a peek into my fresh hole, I leapt nearly a foot in the air when some creature emerged at the surface!

What on Earth have I done! Frantically replacing the mound of soil to where I found it, I apologized profusely to the frightened little mole. All I had wanted was to aid the life of an innocent plant, and in the process I nearly destroyed the home of an innocent animal! What a cruel irony! Luckily, the mole was uninjured; It was just his home that was a casualty.

Thoroughly embarrassed by my blunder, I quickly offered to rebuild the complicated network of tunnels that previously made up his dwelling, but while he appreciated the gesture, he doubted that my fumbling hands would be capable of creating such a complicated design. Glancing sadly back at the wrecked mess that was once his shelter, he paced about, considering the tool that he tried in vain to hold off.

No, no, if I was to help out this shovel would not do. Instead, trying to stay in the spirit of the holiday and not only complete the task at hand, but also salvage this strained new relationship, I struck up a proposal with the melancholy mole. Why not stay in my comfortable home while he took his time in rebuilding the damaged areas of his? In return, I figured it was only fair if he let my wee little sprouts grow in peace above his head, where I had originally intended them to thrive. After a moment of consideration, a small smile grew to replace his worried frown, and a friendship was made, despite how it began in rocky ground.