To the editor:

In 1971, one year after Earth Day began, Marvin Gaye wrote and sang “Ecology,” which included the lyrics, “… Oh things ain’t what they used to be … Where did all the blue skies go? Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east … Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of mercury … Radiation underground and in the sky. Animals and birds who live nearby are dying … How much more abuse from man can she stand?”

April 22, 2020, is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This year people all over the world are at home creating new routines, revisiting old hobbies or trying new ones. We are witnessing the beneficence of what happens in everyday lives when people have the time to explore their small corner of the world.

The American Holistic Nurses Association encourages you to embrace that craving to play in the dirt, to take a walk with the only fuel required being a good meal, put creative talents to use, or get caught up on much needed rest. In honor of our small space, we savor the resources, talents and interests we uniquely possess to refuel and sustain with the inexhaustible resource of joy and gratitude.

How are you honoring your Earth and yourself today?

Elise Foreman Carter and Sharon Burch,

Lawrence